HalfLife: The Movie
by Beth Einspanier
Summary: On May 16, 2009, the Black Mesa Research facility was caught in a resonance cascade event during a routine experiment. What happened during the Black Mesa incident can finally be told... *experimental* Please review! Chapter 6 now up!
1. And I Feel Fine

Half-Life

Fan screenplay by Beth Einspanier

Adapted from the Valve games "Half-Life", "Half-Life: Blue Shift", "Half-Life: Decay", and "Half-Life: Opposing Force". These games and all characters and likenesses belong to Valve, and are used here with great respect but sadly without permission. All rights reserved.

Author's note: This is mainly an experiment, inspired by the cries of Half-Life fans to the effect of "Valve should make a Half-Life movie!" Well, I have since read that Valve has received many screenplays for just that, but none have been considered good enough to be worth making a movie. So, to prove (or disprove) once and for all the validity of a Half-Life movie, I've decided to write my own screenplay. Consider this a proof of concept. So... I'm looking for feedback. Be constructive. Be informative. I already have a co-worker giving this first chapter a beta read to see if it works as a movie. Now I leave it to the Half-Life fans to see if it works as a Half-Life movie. For the sake of tidiness, dialogue tags will be in **bold**, and dialogue will be in "double quotes".

I've used game dialogue wherever possible, but for obvious reasons I've had to pull a lot of this out of my ass - including Gordon's personality (he has none to speak of in any of the games). It's been tricky figuring out where the games overlap and cross, so feel free to help me out. Thanks!

* * *

Black screen.

Title card: HALF LIFE

The screen flickers as though from signal interference, and the A in "HALF" is briefly replaced by a lower case Greek Lambda: λ

Title card: Somewhere below New Mexico…

We hear the controlled squeal of metal-on-metal from an automated tram.

FADE UP ON:

INT – BLACK MESA – TRAM PLATFORM

The tram station resembles that of a subway – a slab of reinforced concrete coming out in a gently curved peninsula edged in black and yellow caution stripes. Beyond the platform we see a pair of sliding glass doors, and beyond them, what looks like the common room of a dormitory: pool table, snack machine, and a small microwave on a countertop above some cabinets.

A man enters the tram platform from the dormitory area. He is dressed in the blue uniform of a Black Mesa security guard. His ID badge identifies him as BARNEY CALHOUN. Barney is in his late twenties or early thirties, in reasonably good shape, with dark hair and brown eyes. He is clean-shaven, but there is a bit of toilet tissue stuck to his face where he has cut himself shaving. He is finishing the last of a breakfast sandwich as a tram car pulls up. He pops the last morsel in his mouth, boards, and sits. The train pulls away from the platform.

**ANNOUNCER**

"Good morning, and welcome to the Black Mesa transit system. This automated train is provided for the security and convenience of the Black Mesa Research Facility personnel. The time is 8:47 A.M. Current topside temperature is 93 degrees with an estimated high of 105. The Black Mesa compound is maintained at a pleasant 68 degrees at all times…"

CUT TO:

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS

Anomalous Materials is a minor industrial nightmare. In this particular section, the floor is made of metal gratings as often as not, and fat pipes curl over the walls like metal anacondas. Through rounded windows glazed in safety glass, scientists and technicians can be seen at various points on the spectrum between hard at work and dealing with malfunctions that are preventing work from getting done.

Two women in hazard suits, each with a lower-case Greek Lambda emblazoned on the chest-plate and each carrying a visored helmet under one arm, enter the area through a heavy reinforced blast door; their identification badges indicate that they are DR. COLETTE GREEN (late thirties, jaw-length brown hair, wearing a red hazard suit) and DR. GINA CROSS (early thirties, short red hair, wearing a tan hazard suit). They are met by a SECURITY GUARD.

**SECURITY GUARD #1**

[nodding to each in turn] "Good morning, doctor… doctor. Looks like you two are right on time today. I'm afraid there's been some trouble with the system, so you may have been deleted from the security database. If you follow me to the door I can get you inside, where you can straighten it all out."

**DR. CROSS**

"These network problems are starting to be a bit of a habit lately. I hope we don't have a system-wide crash today – Rosenberg would have a fit."

**SECURITY GUARD #1**

"Nah – according to the computer guys the crash already happened, half an hour ago. They've got almost everything back up though_."_

He heads off down the corridor. Cross and Green exchange a dubious look and follow.

**SECURITY GUARD #1**

"So I guess today is the big day, huh?"

**DR. GREEN**

"News travels fast."

**SECURITY GUARD #1**

"The big guy was pretty excited when he came in earlier. He was talking about the new guy, Dr. Freeman. I just hope everything goes well today."

**DR. GREEN**

"So do I. The sample we're testing today is by far the largest and purest we've retrieved so far – but as long as we're careful I don't expect any problems."

They cross a bridge and reach a security door, beyond which is a sterile white corridor reminiscent of a hospital. It is dimly lit, but periodically one can see large observation windows that reveal brightly-lit offices.

**SECURITY GUARD #1**

"All right – this should only take a second. [He punches them in] There you go – see you after the experiment."

They head into the dim corridor, and further into Anomalous Materials.

CUT TO:

INT – BLACK MESA - DORMITORY

CLOSE UP: A pair of feet clad in red Converse knockoffs jogs along the corridor. Their owner is clearly in a hurry.

CUT TO:

INT – BLACK MESA - TRAM

Barney sits idly in the tram car, playing a handheld game. The tram car behind his slows to a stop at another platform to pick up a passenger, a man in a lab coat and a familiar pair of red sneakers, with a messenger bag over one shoulder. Red Shoes hits the tram at a run, flashing an ID badge at the door, sidestepping inside as the doors open, and collapsing in relief in one of the seats. A few seconds later, his tram pulls away from the platform to follow Barney's.

CUT TO:

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS

Dr. Green and Dr. Cross head down the corridor towards a metal sliding door.

**DR. GREEN**

"Have you heard anything about this Freeman guy?"

**DR. CROSS**

"Just the basics – MIT grad, mainly interested in theoretical physics. [considers] Single. I *have* observed him in the Hazard Course though. He's shown considerable adaptability and improvisational skills under unexpected conditions, particularly during his run this morning."

**DR. GREEN**

[grins] "Is he cute?"

**DR. CROSS**

[mock-primly] "Since we are *not* in junior high, all I will say is that I've seen very few physicists who fill a Hazard suit quite like he does."

To the right of the door is a large observation window, through which can been seen a scientist, DR. WALTER BENNETT. He is older, bespectacled, and bald except for a fringe of silver hair around the base of his skull. He tends to put one in mind of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew.

**DR. BENNETT**

[As they reach the door] "Greetings! It looks as though your data was lost in the system failure this morning. Not to worry – I can re-register you at this station. Just step into the booth, one at a time, and I'll start the procedure."

He presses a button, and the booth door slides open. Dr. Cross steps in, and the booth scans her; inside the booth we see a pattern of light passing over her, apparently reading her biometrics.

**COMPUTER VOICE**

"Welcome… Gina… Cross."

INT – BLACK MESA – TRAM

Barney's tram slows to a stop at a station platform in front of a closed security door with a scanner. The platform is otherwise currently occupied by a vaguely unsettling man in a blue suit, wielding a briefcase.

**ANNOUNCER**

"Now arriving at Level 3 Security. Have a nice day."

The door slides open, and Barney steps out onto the platform, nodding an absent greeting to the man in the blue suit, who boards the tram but does not sit.

As the tram pulls away, Barney scans his ID badge at the reader, but gets a rejection beep.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"The hell?"

He tries again, with the same result. He frowns, and pounds on the metal door.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Open up! The sensor is messed up again!"

**SECURITY OFFICER #2**, within

"We've been having problems all day. Let me try."

In the foreground, a tram passes, bearing Red Shoes. More on him later.

After another unsuccessful attempt…

**SECURITY OFFICER #2**, within

"I think I've just about…" [acceptance beep] "There we go!"

The door slides open, and Barney enters Level 3 Security.

INT – BLACK MESA – LEVEL 3 SECURITY

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"They need to replace that piece of shit."

**SECURITY OFFICER #2**

"Seems like something new breaks down every day. I'm surprised this place hasn't been shut down."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

[chuckles] "The director's too cheap anyway. The world will end before he upgrades anything around here."

**SECURITY OFFICER #2**

"You got a package this morning." [He hands over a small parcel wrapped in brown paper] "It's from Lauren."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Excellent! I've been waiting for this."

He takes it and tucks it under his arm, then turns to head off.

**SECURITY OFFICER #2**

"I swear, Barney, I don't know why you don't just break down and marry that girl."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"I'm still young. I got all the time in the world. Besides, I'm not taking romance advice from a guy who's been divorced three times."

The security officer laughs.

**SECURITY OFFICER #2**

"You better get checked in before Wilson shits himself."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"All right. Catch you later."

Barney heads off.

INT – BLACK MESA – TRAM

The tram has stopped, several yards away from a spill of glowing green liquid that does not look at all safe for human consumption.

**ANNOUNCER**

"A reminder to all Black Mesa personnel: Regular radiation and biohazard screenings are a requirement of continued employment in the Black Mesa Research Facility. Missing a scheduled urinalysis or radiation check-up is grounds for immediate termination."

Its occupant, a goateed man in familiar red shoes, glances impatiently at his watch. He is aware that he is late. His ID badge reads DR. GORDON FREEMAN. He is a tidy, serious-looking man in his mid-twenties, wearing square, black-rimmed glasses, lab coat, and red-striped tie over a blue shirt. In accordance with Dr. Cross' earlier assessment, he does indeed appear to be in good shape, with a wiry build. There is, however, a small coffee stain on his lab coat, which looks as though he tried to clean it off, with limited success.

He becomes aware that he is being watched, and he glances over to his left, peering uneasily at the other tram car that has also been detained by the spill. It is occupied by the creepy man in the blue suit. We will call this man the G-MAN.

**ANNOUNCER,** cont'd

"If you feel you have been exposed to radioactive or other hazardous materials in the course of your duties, contact your radiation safety officer immediately. Work safe, work smart. Your future depends on it."

Gordon shifts uneasily and returns his attention to the front, as presently his tram begins moving forward again. The G-Man's tram remains where it is.

INT – BLACK MESA – LEVEL 3 SECURITY – LOBBY

WILSON, a security officer in his late thirties, mans the desk, which already bears evidence of a rotten morning ahead for everyone in his department. Barney approaches, and Wilson glances up.

**WILSON**

"Ah – just the man I was looking for."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Jesus. You say that every morning."

**WILSON**

"This time I mean it. The computer guys were able to get the network back up, but stuff is still malfunctioning all over the place. Right now I need you to go help out the eggheads in Sector 6." [chuckles tiredly] "I hope you're ready for a long shift."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Can't be any worse than last week."

**WILSON**

[clearly remembering whatever unpleasantries happened the previous week] "Eeesh."

Barney continues on to…

INT – BLACK MESA – LEVEL 3 SECURITY – LOCKER ROOM

Barney approaches a line of lockers with surnames printed on each and opens the one on the end marked CALHOUN. Inside the door there is a Polaroid of a pretty blonde woman – presumably Lauren – and below this, an adhesive note with BUY FLOWERS FOR LAUREN written in Sharpie.

Hanging inside the locker is an armored vest, which he grabs.

On the shelf we see a couple of books: "The Truth About Aliens" and "Government Conspiracies", on top of which is a helmet, likewise grabbed. He sets the parcel atop the stack of books while he gets equipped.

Once fully outfitted, Barney takes a penknife from his pocket and starts cutting the sting and tape holding the parcel closed. He strips off the brown paper, opens the box within, and reaches inside, emerging triumphantly with a plastic figurine about the size and shape of a large toad, representing a small purple alien creature with a single large red eye in the middle of its forehead. Barney grins with geekish delight as the looks over the figurine.

He sets the alien toad on top of the stack of books and shuts his locker.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – CONTROL ROOM

Dr. Green and Dr. Cross have been checked in, and they enter a control room currently occupied by a middle-aged man in an electric wheelchair, DR. RICHARD KELLER. With a deft turn of the joystick, he turns to face them.

**DR. KELLER**

"Good morning, Dr. Green, Dr. Cross – punctual as always, I am happy to note. Unfortunately, they new guy appears to be running late. Personally, I don't know what Dr. Kleiner sees in that boy. I need the two of you to begin preparations so we can start as soon as he gets here."

Another door slides open to admit a younger scientist. This is DR. STANLEY ROSENBERG. He appears to be in his later thirties or early forties, and he has a thin beard, glasses, and a receding hairline. His hair is dark, but graying at the temples.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Dr. Keller."

**DR. KELLER**

"Ah, hello Dr. Rosenberg. We're sort of in the middle of briefing, so—"

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"I've been talking to Harold. He seems to be under the impression that you're planning to run my anti-mass spectrometer at greater than 90 percent. You realize that there *is* a reason for the safety buffer."

**DR. KELLER**

"Of course, I understand your concerns, Doctor, but our administrator wanted—"

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"The Administrator is a bureaucrat, not a scientist! I did not design this equipment to be run at such a high intensity."

**DR. KELLER**

"This is not your decision. Now, if you wish to stay and monitor the experiment, so be it. Otherwise, you can go back to your little labs in the train yard." [He turns back to the controls, effectively dismissing Dr. Rosenberg.] "Dr. Cross, if you would kindly retrieve the sample from storage? Dr. Green, I need you in the test chamber. We'll monitor the experiment from here."

Dr. Cross and Dr. Green head out through another door.

INT – BLACK MESA – TRAM

The tram containing Dr. Freeman pulls up to the platform outside Anomalous Materials. Barney is at the security door further in, with a toolbox at his feet, and heads for the dock, having equipped himself with a handgun in a shoulder holster.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Morning, Gordo. Glad to see you decided to show up for work today."

Gordon smiles; these two are good friends.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Don't start, Barney. This morning has already been a series of migraines."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

[unlocking the security dock] "Seriously, what's the worst that could have happened to you before nine in the morning?"

Gordon exits the tram, shifting his messenger bag on his shoulder. As they walk to the door leading to Anomalous Materials:

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"The power went out while I was in the Hazard Course. Just, FOOM – pitch black."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"That bites. What did you do?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[the answer is obvious to him] "I finished the course. Thought it was a new element that Dr. Cross had added."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

[laughs] "Okay, it's official. You are completely unshakeable."

Gordon shrugs. Barney punches Gordon in at the security door. As Gordon goes to step through:

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"I'd love to stay and chat, but something's busted further down the tram line. Catch me later – I'll buy you a beer."

Gordon waves and continues in to:

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – LOBBY

Gordon approaches the front desk, manned by a security guard whose name tag identifies him as TAFT, currently the target of a scientist's ire. Taft cranes his head to see who has just entered.

**TAFT**

"Morning, Dr. Freeman."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Good morning. Any messages?"

Taft winces; he has been dealing with this all morning.

**TAFT**

"Yeah, I had a bunch of messages for you, but we had a system crash about 20 minutes ago, and I'm still trying to find my files. Just one of those days, I guess."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"At least it couldn't get any worse."

**TAFT**

"Tell me about it. They were having some problems down in the test chamber, too, but I think that's all straightened out. They told me to make sure you headed down there as soon as you got into your hazard suit."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"All right. See you after the experiment."

**TAFT**

"Oh, and Dr. Freeman?" [Taft pulls a bleach pen from a desk drawer and offers it to Gordon.] "My wife swears by these. This'll get that coffee stain out. I know how Rosenberg can be."

Gordon glances dubiously at the stain on his lab coat, and then takes the bleach pen, apparently deciding that he has nothing to lose.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Okay. Thanks. I'll get it back to you later."

As he leaves:

**SCIENTIST #1**

"This is unacceptable! Where is the IT department through all this?"

**TAFT**

[beat] "Montana. Getting the server working."

OTS TAFT as he tries again to bring up the server. To the left of the terminal we see a few security monitors. On one we see a helmeted Dr. Cross pushing a cart bearing a large glowing orange crystal sample. On another we see Gordon heading down another hallway.

Move in on:

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – OFFICES

Gordon comes up on an office with a large window, through which he sees two people are having a heated argument. He pauses, recognizing both of them. One of them is the G-Man, while the other is DR. ELI VANCE, an African-American scientist in his late 30's or early 40's.

**DR. VANCE**

"This is not what this facility is designed for!"

G-Man's speech patterns are odd, as though he is being translated from a very complex foreign language on the fly.

**G-MAN**

"Your concerns have… been taken innnto… account. Nevertheless, the… experiment will proceed."

**DR. VANCE**

"You, of all people, should know the risks involved in this sort of experiment. I won't be a part of it."

**G-MAN**

"Mr. Vance, I am… afraid that you and your research facility… already are. Prepare for… unforeseen consequences." [the last word is pronounced with extended sibilants, becoming an almost sinister hiss]

G-man glances to the window, giving Gordon a pointed look: _This is not your business_. Then he adjusts his tie and leaves the office.

Now that we can get a better look at the mysterious G-Man, he looks even more unsettling than before – as though the soul of an intelligent reptile possessed an embalmed corpse in a funeral home, gave its hair a good combing and a dollop of pomade, and dressed the whole horrifying mess in a pale blue suit. His eyes are pale and soulless, and his skin has a decidedly unhealthy, yellowish pallor. He looks like he eats brains.

Dr. Vance comes out into the corridor shortly after the G-Man leaves; he looks a bit spooked. Gordon catches his eye.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Who was—?"

**DR. VANCE**

[lightly] "Morning, Gordon. Have you had breakfast?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"I got a bite before Hazard Training. What—"

**DR. VANCE**

"Come on, I'll buy you a soda."

He starts to usher Gordon down the hall.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Who was that guy?"

**DR. VANCE**

"Just a stuffed shirt from the government trying to throw his weight around. I wouldn't worry about him."

They head off.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – STORAGE

Dr. Cross has wheeled the cart with its glowing cargo over to a cart elevator. Presently she pushes it inside.

She goes to a nearby panel and pushes a button. The elevator whirrs and churns, and starts rising with its cargo…

… only to grind to a halt halfway to the next floor.

Dr. Cross frowns and hits the button again. Discouraging grinding noises issue from inside the machinery.

**DR. KELLER** (H.E.V. radio)

"What's the problem?"

**DR. CROSS**

"The lift is stuck. It's stopped halfway."

**DR. KELLER** (H.E.V. radio)

[sighs] "You'll have to go to the test lab and find out what's wrong. Just leave the sample where it is. It's not going anywhere."

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – LOCKER ROOM

Gordon enters the locker room, draining the last dregs of what appears to be an energy drink rather than a soda. He pitches the empty can in a waste bin just inside the door. He makes his way down the row of lockers to the one marked FREEMAN.

He opens his locker and stows his messenger bag inside. On the shelf inside the locker we see two books, "The Orchid Eater" and "The 37th Mandala". Affixed inside the door is a small poster of Albert Einstein poking his tongue out at the camera; below this we see a wallet-sized photo of a toddler of indeterminate gender.

He pauses to dab at the coffee stain with the bleach pen, before shrugging off the lab coat and hanging it up in his locker to dry. He is decently built, but apparently not overly conscious of it.

He shuts the locker door and goes over to a series of pods at the far end of the locker room; each one contains a hazard suit with a Lambda embossed on the chest-plate, except for two empty pods at the end marked GREEN and CROSS. The suit marked FREEMAN is orange. In front of the pods is a series of large buttons.

A small smile crosses Gordon's face as he regards his hazard suit, and he hits the corresponding button. The pod slides open with a hiss.

SAME – A BIT LATER

**HAZARD SUIT**, v.o.

"Welcome to the H.E.V. Mark IV protective system for use in hazardous environment conditions."

Gordon has the Hazard suit on and is checking everything. A helmet sits on a nearby bench. The suit is almost skin-tight, but the arms, legs, chest, and back are covered in armored plates. The suit A.I.'s voiceover continues:

**HAZARD SUIT**, v.o., cont'd

"High-impact reactive armor activated. Atmospheric contaminant sensors activated. Automatic medical systems engaged. Defensive weapon selection system activated. Munition level monitoring activated. Communications interface online. Have a very safe day."

Satisfied, Gordon picks up the helmet, tucks it under his arm, and leaves the locker room, headed for the test lab.

INT – BLACK MESA – TEST CHAMBER – LOWER LEVEL

Dr. Green is at a control terminal, punching in commands. A monitor prints: "OVERRIDE SAFETY PROTOCOLS?"

Dr. Green hits the ENTER key.

As she continues typing, we see the capacity indicated on the screen increase from 80% to 105%.

INT – BLACK MESA – TEST LAB

Gordon reaches the test lab and is punched in by the guard using a retinal scanner. In the lab we see three scientists.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Hi. Sorry I'm late."

**SCIENTIST #2**

"There you are, Gordon. We just sent the sample down to the test chamber. We've also boosted the anti-mass spectrometer to 105%. It's a bit of a gamble, but we need the extra resolution."

**SCIENTIST #3**

"The administrator is very concerned that we get a conclusive analysis of today's sample. I gather they went to some length to get it. You might want to hurry up and get down to the test chamber before Dr. Keller has a litter of kittens."

Scientist #3 unlocks the door for Gordon, who heads in.

Gordon enters an elevator and heads down. Through a Plexiglas window in the elevator we get a panoramic view of the testing chamber Gordon plans to enter. It looks moderately hazardous and very impressive. A low-level core of energy writhes in the center of the chamber between two receptors.

The elevator reaches the bottom floor and Gordon exits and heads down a corridor towards the test chamber (as indicated by a glowing sign).

He is met at the door by two more scientists; one of these is Dr. Vance.

**DR. VANCE**

"I'm afraid we'll be deviating a bit from standard analysis procedures today, Gordon."

**SCIENTIST #4**

"Yes, but with good reason. This is a rare opportunity for us. This is the purest sample we've seen yet."

**DR. VANCE**

"And, potentially, the most unstable."

**SCIENTIST #4**

"Now, now, if you follow standard insertion procedure, everything will be fine."

**DR. VANCE**

"I don't know how you can say that--although I will admit that the possibility of a resonance cascade scenario is extremely unlikely."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"…resonance cascade? I thought that was only a theoretical occurrence."

**SCIENTIST #4**

"Of course. We have every safety measure in place to prevent any resonance from the sample from magnifying into a cascade. The odds of it even happening are infinitesimal."

**DR. VANCE**

"Of course. We have complete confidence in you, Gordon. Are you ready?"

Gordon takes a deep breath, exhales, and dons his helmet, locking it in place.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Let's do this."

Dr. Vance operates the retinal scanner beside the door, and it hisses open. Gordon heads in.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – TEST CHAMBER

A low thrum of power fills the chamber, emanating from a writhing green tendril of energy in the center of the device. It sounds like a swarm of radioactive bees. Gordon looks up at the heart of the device. Beyond this, we see an observation window near the high ceiling. Two silhouettes are visible within, recognizable as Dr. Rosenberg (standing) and Dr. Keller (seated, by default). One leans over and taps something on the control panel. The pound of someone tapping a microphone echoes through the test chamber.

**DR. ROSENBERG** (intercom)

[feedback] "Testing, testing. Everything seems to be in order. Dr. Cross, did you happen to find out what was wrong with the elevator?"

**DR. CROSS** (H.E.V. radio)

"Yes, sir. There was a crowbar stuck in some gears. I cleared it out and everything's working at this end."

**DR. ROSENBERG** (intercom)

"Excellent. Dr. Green, is everything working properly at your end?"

**DR. GREEN** (H.E.V. radio)

"All lights are green."

**DR. KELLER** (intercom)

"All right, Gordon. Your suit should keep you comfortable through all this. The specimen will be delivered to you in a few moments. If you would be so good as to climb up and start the rotors, we can bring the anti-mass spectrometer to 80 percent and hold it there until the carrier arrives."

Gordon climbs a ladder to a control panel and types in a series of commands, finishing by flipping up a mollyguard and pushing a red button. We see that there is a crowbar on the floor under the control panel, near a toolbox. Three emitters surrounding the main core activate and add their power to the mix.

**DR. KELLER** (intercom)

"Very good. We'll take it from here."

**DR. ROSENBERG** (intercom)

"Power to stage 1 emitters in 3, 2, 1."

There is an additional burst of power from the outside arrays. A few seconds pass."

**DR. ROSENBERG, **cont'd. (intercom)

"I'm seeing predictable phase arrays."

Gordon watches through his visor as the power core shifts from green to white.

**DR. ROSENBERG** (intercom)

"Stage 2 emitters activating...now."

Another burst of power from the outside arrays. The core shifts from white to brilliant purple.

**DR. KELLER** (intercom)

"Gordon, we cannot predict how long the system can operate at this level, nor how long the readings will take. Please, work as quickly as you can."

**DR. ROSENBERG** (intercom)

"Overhead capacitors to one oh five percent. Uh, it's probably not a problem, but I'm showing a small discrepancy in... well, no, it's well within acceptable bounds again. Sustaining sequence."

**DR. KELLER** (intercom)

"I've just been informed that the sample is ready, Gordon. It should be coming up to you any moment now. Look to the delivery system for your specimen."

INT – BLACK MESA – SECTOR G

Barney is looking a bit grouchy as he makes his way down a corridor. He has the toolbox hooked on his elbow as he wipes his hands with a greasy rag, with negligible mutual benefit. He passes a sign that reads, "Sector G- Main Access Lift".

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

[under breath] "God damn useless scientists with PhDs barely worth the paper they're printed on… Idiot turned off tram power and they thought it was broken… I swear, the elevator better not be something stupid or…" [He reaches an open elevator car containing two annoyed-looking scientists and switches from grouchy to cordial without missing a beat.] "Good morning! What seems to be the problem, doctors?"

**SCIENTIST #5**

"It's about time you got here, Calhoun! Where have you been?"

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Things are breaking down all over, Doc. Looks like the elevator isn't immune, either." [forced laugh]

**SCIENTIST #6**

"Do you think we would still be here if the elevator *was* working?"

There is tightly restrained homicide behind Barney's rictus smile.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Let's see if we can get you on your way, then."

He enters the elevator car, sets the toolbox at his feet, and inspects the control panel.

Somebody has pulled out the red emergency stop knob. Barney snorts and pushes it back in. The elevator dings and the doors slide closed.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"There we go. What floor you headed to?"

**SCIENTIST #6**

"Third."

Barney pushes the "3" button and the elevator whirrs to life.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – TEST CHAMBER

Gordon glances over to see the sample cart bearing the glowing orange crystal entering the test chamber on a motorized rail. The safety barriers retract into the floor, and Gordon walks over to the cart, wheeling it towards the core of the anti-mass spectrometer.

He pushes the sample into the core and—

--all hell breaks loose. Electricity starts arcing out of control all over the machine. Gordon backs away instinctively.

**DR. KELLER** (intercom)

"Oh dear…"

**DR. ROSENBERG** (intercom)

"Gordon, get away from the—"

**DR. KELLER** (intercom)

"Shutting down-no, attempted shutdown. It's not… it's not… it's not shutting down!"

The test chamber is rocked by a thunderous explosion. Gordon hears one of the female scientists scream in pain or surprise over his H.E.V. radio. He glances around for some escape, his mind in survival mode.

INT – BLACK MESA – SECTOR 6 – ELEVATOR

The elevator containing Barney and the two scientists shudders, the lights dimming.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"*That* doesn't sound good."

**SCIENTIST #6**

"It's probably Anomalous Materials, brewing a cup of coffee in the particle accelerator again."

The scientists chuckle. Barney doesn't join them. This doesn't feel right.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – TEST CHAMBER

Gordon runs for the door, but is knocked off his feet by an explosion in the core. He lands—

EXT - XEN

—in front of a bizarre creature about the size of a large dog in an alien landscape. He hurriedly backpedals as it turns, registering his presence. He trips, stumbles—

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – TEST CHAMBER

—and lands on his backside in the test chamber, which is still shaking violently. He scrambles to his feet and again runs for the door, trying to escape—

EXT – XEN

—and once again his boots skitter and crunch on the unfamiliar terrain of the alien world. He hears a series of guttural syllables sent in his direction—

—and looks up to find himself facing down another alien creature, this one bipedal and nearly seven feet tall.

Gordon waves helplessly at it in an "I come in peace" gesture.

In response, the creature's brow furrows over its single huge red eye. It bares sharp teeth at him, and green electricity crackles menacingly at its fingertips.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Holy shit."

Just as the creature unleashes its attack—

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – TEST CHAMBER

—Gordon finds himself back in the test chamber, tumbling backwards.

He lands hard in the corner, hitting his head (fortunately protected by his helmet) on the metal valve of a fire suppression pipe. He falls limp, his glasses falling askew within the helmet.

**HAZARD SUIT**, v.o.

"Mild concussion detected. Vital signs stable."

As we survey the scene within the test chamber, we see that the number of silhouettes in the observation window has been reduced to one – a tall, thin man. In the flash of an electrical short, we catch a glimpse of his face, which is utterly deadpan despite the chaos around him.

It is the G-Man.

INT – BLACK MESA – SECTOR 6 – ELEVATOR

The elevator shudders to a halt, and the main lights go out, replaced by the emergency light.

There are a few moments of watchful silence from the three passengers.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Well, that's not so—"

There is a metallic snap, and the elevator plunges into a freefall.

* * *

End of Part 1.


	2. Unforeseen Consequences

TITLE CARD: MAY 15, 2009; 9:20 A.M.: RESONANCE CASCADE EVENT

As before, the lettering flickers and twitches as though from some unknown electrical interference.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – TEST LAB

We see the safety rail of a catwalk through a dazed blurriness, from roughly floor level, and hear a woman trying to catch her breath, over the low hiss of radio static.

CLOSE ON

Dr. Cross, seen through the Plexiglas visor of her Hazard suit's helmet and illuminated by red emergency lighting. We hear a thin hiss of static from her H.E.V. Radio. She is lying on the catwalk mentioned earlier, taking a moment to get her bearings. Near her is a crowbar, presumably the same one that had been jamming the gears; the shaft of the tool is scratched and gouged.

When the world stops spinning, Dr. Cross carefully sits up and shakes her head to clear it.

**DR. CROSS**

"Mark IV." [The suit gives an acknowledging chirp] "Status report."

**HAZARD SUIT (CROSS), v.o. **

**"**You have no broken bones or internal injuries. Other than a small bump on the head, you are in optimum health."

**DR. CROSS**

"Diagnostics."

**HAZARD SUIT (CROSS), v.o.**

"Your headset radio has been damaged. Some communications functions may be affected. All other systems are running at optimum performance. Suit power is steady at 93 percent."

She picks up the crowbar and hooks the end over the safety rail, using it to help herself up. Peering over the railing to the lower level, she sees Dr. Green half-curled on the floor near the terminal, which appears to have been destroyed by a huge energy surge. It smokes gently, and the monitor's glass has blown out.

On the other side of the dead control terminal, we can see a blast door, stuck partially open.

Distantly we hear an inhuman bellow, and a human scream, followed by the pop-pop-pop of gunfire.

Cross's radio crackles, and we hear, thin and distant, Dr. Keller's voice through the static.

**DR. KELLER, H.E.V radio**

[static] "… there? Dr. Cross?" [static]" …een? Are you okay?" [static]

**DR. CROSS**

"I'm here! I'm okay!"

**DR. KELLER, H.E.V. radio**

[static] "… response. There's too much" [static] "…ence. Vital s…" [static] "… ear stable…" [static]

The signal disintegrates into static.

Dr. Green stirs and sits up, glances around, and finally spots Dr. Cross on the catwalk just as Dr. Cross reaches a ladder and starts to climb down to the lower level.

Dr. Green meets her colleague at the bottom of the ladder.

**DR. GREEN**

"Are you okay?"

**DR. CROSS**

"I think so. I got knocked on my ass, though."

**DR. GREEN**

"We need to get out of here. This place could collapse at any moment."

There is a clang of metal on metal, as though something has been disturbed and fallen. Both women flinch in surprise. Further screams in the distance.

**DR. CROSS**

:Find a weapon. We don't know what could be out there. Pure sample, remember?"

**DR. GREEN**

"True… but fauna migration from the borderworld is so unlikely…"

There is a louder clang, followed by the high-pitched growl of a small creature.

**DR. GREEN**

"Weapons. Good idea."

She picks up a fallen support strut from the floor.

**DR. CROSS**

"I saw an open door over there." [points] "Stay sharp."

They make their way towards the half-open door, watchful for any danger. Dr. Green half-crouches and peers through into the hallway beyond, barely illuminated by the emergency lights. Distantly we hear sirens and emergency klaxons. From just around a bend in the hallway we see the legs of a fallen scientist. He looks like he might be dead, but presently one of his legs twitches.

A small creature, superficially resembling a flesh-colored tick about the size of a cat, hops into view from around the corner. It turns itself about slowly on four jointed, crablike legs. It has no visible head. We will call this a headcrab, for reasons that will be made clear later.

**DR. GREEN**

"What the hell…?"

The headcrab suddenly turns, orienting itself on the sound of Dr. Green's voice. It screeches and bounds towards the half-open door, easily covering fifteen feet in a single leap.

The two scientists backpedal instinctively, retreating into the test lab.

The headcrab lands just inside the door and springs at Dr. Green's face, revealing a sharp beak on its underside which secretes a clear fluid, like saliva.

Dr. Green smacks it out of the air with her makeshift weapon. It splatters on the floor with a spray of yellow blood. It is still twitching, so Green smacks it a few more times to make sure it's dead.

Dr. Cross glances out to the corridor as she hears the screeching of more headcrabs. The legs of the dead scientist have vanished, leaving behind only a smear of blood.

**DR. CROSS**

"Oh my God… Colette, we need to get moving."

Dr. Green finishes pulping the headcrab and glances up. She is speckled with alien blood.

Dr. Cross points to where the scientist no longer is.

**DR. GREEN**

[resigned] "I knew I should have stayed in bed today,"

They leave the test lab. As they exit the interference still in the lab, they hear Keller and Rosenberg talking through the Hazard suits' radios through the haze of static. They pause, straining to listen.

**DR. KELLER, H.E.V. radio**

[static] "… resonance cascade!"

Both Cross and Green recognize the term. They exchange a concerned glance.

**DR. ROSENBERG, H.E.V. radio**

"I don't understand! The dampening fields should have…"

**DR KELLER, H.E.V. radio**

"The dampening fields *failed*!"

**DR. ROSENBERG, H.E.V. radio**

"The dampening fields are designed *not* to fail! The only way this could have happened is if somebody had turned them off!"

**DR. KELLER, H.E.V. radio**

"They *failed*! The entire containment system has collapsed. This is a resonance cascade, Dr. Rosenberg."

**DR. ROSENBERG, H.E.V. radio**

[sighs] "… yes. You're right. We've got to get everyone out of here."

**DR. KELLER, H.E.V. radio**

"No, the dampening fields are the problem. I don't think you understand the importance of resetting them. Without them in place, the cascade will just continue."

**DR. ROSENBERG, H.E.V. radio**

"But if we fail, who will warn everyone else? We can have soldiers from Santego here in two hours who can secure the facility and get everyone to safety. Our concern must be with the people of Black Mesa."

**DR. KELLER, H.E.V. radio**

"… you're right. But first, let's wait until we know if Cross and Green are okay. I haven't been able to raise them on radio, but the Hazard suits are reporting that they're alive."

More headcrabs, having heard their compatriot's screech, bound up the hallway towards them. There are maybe a dozen of them, and they all look hungry – for what, we're not sure yet, but face appears to be on the menu.

They are smacked out of the air mid-leap as they pounce at their prey.

Yellowish blood splatters as one hit the wall.

The two scientists duck and dodge the springing headcrabs, who scramble to reverse course for another try.

One lands on Dr. Cross's helmet from behind. It hops to the top of the helmet, and we see its beak gnawing furiously (and apparently futilely) at the helmet as it apparently attempts to copulate with her head.

**HAZARD SUIT (CROSS), v.o.**

"Acid damage detected. Activating self-repair functions."

Dr. Cross paws frantically at the headcrab, trying to knock it off.

**DR. CROSS**

"Get it off me!"

Dr. Green grabs the creature and rips it off (we hear its limbs snap), spiking it against the wall. It falls to the floor, limp. We see that the creature's corrosive saliva has eaten the beginnings of a hole in Cross's helmet, but presently it starts closing up as the suit repairs itself.

They turn a corner and reach an office as they clear the patch of headcrabs. The door reads "SECURITY OFFICE". The blinds are open, and they peer inside.

Sprawled on the floor they see the corpse of a security guard in a large pool of blood, still clutching a standard issue handgun in his right hand but missing his left arm at the shoulder. We see the splattered corpse of a headcrab in the corner, apparently shot many times, but the man's arm was clearly torn off by something larger and stronger than this. Judging by the trail of blood on the floor leading up to the door, the guard appears to have dragged himself to safety and gotten his vengeance on a would-be opportunist before succumbing to his wounds. He looks like he was mauled by a tiger.

**DR. CROSS**

"What the hell?"

**DR. GREEN**

"Looks like we've got bigger things to worry about than alien spiders."

**DR. CROSS**

"No doubt. We're in luck, though – look."

She points to a set of shelves at one end of the office, bearing a few firearms and ammo clips locked behind metal grating.

Dr. Green tries the doorknob and finds it locked. In response to this, Dr. Cross swings her crowbar at the observation window, shattering the safety glass. She sweeps through the broken window with the crowbar, clearing the fragments, before climbing through, glancing around for any potential danger.

Once satisfied that the office is clear, she touches down on the floor, reacting in brief disgust to the proximity of the mangled guard but nonetheless crouching to search the body for the keys to the weapons lockup.

They hear the inhuman bellow we heard before, but this one is closer. Dr. Green glances over her shoulder warily.

**DR. GREEN**

"Gina… might want to hurry up…"

**DR. CROSS**

"I know."

**DR. GREEN**

"I'm serious. You really want to hurry up. Something's coming – it sounds either angry or hungry, and I don't want to find out which."

Dr. Cross finally emerges with a keyring, holding it up so Dr. Green can see it through the window. It jangles with keys.

**DR. CROSS**

"Got the keys!"

**DR. GREEN**

"Good! Weapons? Please?"

She has no time for niceties, let alone full sentences, because there is a roughly humanoid shape shambling towards her, like something in a George Romero movie. Its arms hang past its knees, and its hands are tipped with hooked claws.

As it shuffles into a patch of light, we notice a few important details: First, it is wearing a torn, bloodstained lab coat, with a Black Mesa identification badge. Second, its head is almost entirely obscured by the headcrab that has taken it over. The headcrab's legs have dug themselves into the flesh and bone of the unfortunate scientist's head and face.

The ruined lab coat hangs open loosely, revealing the remains of a work shirt and tie – and beyond these the thing's chest cavity opens into a vertical mouth lined with either jagged teeth or the shattered remains of the ribcage reassigned to teeth. We see no recognizable organs within.

This is a headcrab zombie. Say hi.

Dr. Green takes a step back as the thing lumbers forward, bellowing from its chest-maw and raising its claws to attack. She raises her makeshift weapon like a spear, preparing to defend herself.

There is a gunshot, hitting the thing in the throat. The zombie stops, staggers, hesitates, toddles forward. There is another tight cluster of shots to the headcrab, knocking the zombie back on its heels. It staggers a few steps, and then falls over dead.

Dr. Green glances back and sees that Dr. Cross has liberated a handgun from the locker. She is still in a firing stance, and a wisp of smoke trails from the gun's muzzle. She lowers the gun and glances over at Dr. Green, who sinks to the floor in relief.

**DR. CROSS**

"You okay?"

**DR. GREEN**

[looking a bit shell-shocked] "Yeah. I'm good. Nice shot."

**DR. CROSS**

"Thanks. Here." [offers a gun and some ammo clips on a belt] "You'll need these if there are more of those… things roaming around."

Dr. Green takes the gun dubiously.

**DR. GREEN**

"You know what my scores were on the Hazard course."

Dr. Cross shrugs, unconcerned.

**DR. CROSS**

"Just focus. We don't need to panic here."

**DR. GREEN**

"Don't panic? I just about got my face torn off by" [glances at the corpse's ID badge] "Dr. Fogler from Lab C, and you're telling me DON'T PANIC? In case you haven't noticed, this isn't a video game – this isn't some simulation that you can reset if things go to hell!"

Dr. Cross puts up a placating hand.

**DR. CROSS**

"Okay. Yes. I understand. Right now our priority is to get back to the control room alive. But it would be useful to find out what the hell that thing is." [points to the dead headcrab] "Do you recognize it from any of the excursions?"

Dr. Green takes a deep breath and wills herself into her analytic mode.

**DR. GREEN**

"Okay. I'm okay." [She looks at the headcrab, which is still cemented to its victim's skull] "I don't remember seeing this in any of the files on borderworld fauna. It might be an indigenous parasite… but not many of the species have sufficiently humanoid anatomy to make it appealing to latch on this way. Even those with a definite head don't have this shape of skull. I'll need to get it to a lab to really study it."

**DR. CROSS**

"Can you detach it? A sample would be handy."

**DR. GREEN**

"It's attached pretty firmly. It's still hanging on even after death." [She makes a face.] "If we want to take this one with, we'll have to take the head, too."

**DR. CROSS**

"Okay. Just leave it, then. I'm not dragging a dead body back to the control room so we can dissect an alien."

**DR. GREEN**

"Let's get moving, then. I hear more of those things coming."

They equip themselves from the weapons locker and head off.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – TEST CHAMBER

Gordon lays sprawled amid the wreckage of the test chamber, dimly illuminated by the red emergency lights. Near him are the spilled contents of the toolbox we saw earlier, and the crowbar is stuck upright in a crack between two plates of shielding in the floor near Gordon's head. Electrical components intermittently spit showers of sparks. He groans and stirs, but does not get up right away.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Mark IV?" [The hazard suit gives an acknowledging chirp] "Status report."

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN), v.o.**

"You have suffered a minor concussion and were rendered unconscious for two minutes. You have no broken bones or internal injuries, but I detect a minor strain in the tendons of your left wrist. I have applied countermeasures to minimize any potential swelling. As such, you may feel some minor stiffness in that area of the suit. I detect some residual radiation in your current environment."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Thank you. Run suit diagnostics."

Gordon sits up. We see that one earpiece of his glasses has been knocked out of place, so that the frame hangs crookedly from the other ear and his nose. He instinctively reaches up to adjust them, but then remembers the protective visor and the potential danger. He looks around, sees the crowbar, and starts working it out of the floor. As he does so:

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN), v.o.**

"Your radio has been critically damaged in the event. You will not be able to send or received radio messages until it is replaced. All other functions are running at optimum performance. Current power levels are steady at 85%. How does your head feel?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Hurts like hell."

He manages to yank the crowbar free with one final tug.

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN), v.o.**

"This is normal. If you start feeling any dizziness, it is recommended that you sit down as soon as possible and place your head between your knees to increase blood circulation to your brain."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Thank you. Remind me to thank your designer."

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN), v.o.**

"The Mark IV Hazardous Environment protection system was designed by Dr. Gina Cross, who works in the Black Mesa Anomalous Materials Laboratory."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[brightly] "Excellent. I'm definitely buying her a book on trans-dimensional wormholes as soon as this is over."

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN), v.o.**

"You are a true romantic at heart, Dr. Freeman."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[slightly flustered by the idea] "Flatterer."

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN), v.o.**

"I aim to please, sir."

He gets to his feet and heads for the door. He bends to peer at the keypad, triggering the proximity sensor. It scans his eyes, and then gives an affirmative beep (to his puzzlement). The door hisses open, and he ventures through into...

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – CORRIDOR

Gordon pauses in the corridor, raising the visor on his Hazard suit and taking off his glasses. Behind him we see (but he doesn't) a bloody smear on the wall, looking like it started as a handprint before the owner was dragged off. He squints at his glasses, inspecting the frames and lenses for damage. Finally, satisfied that they are undamaged, he puts them back on, settles them in place with a final poke to the bridge, and lowers the Hazard suit visor again.

Behind him, in the shadows, a door opens. The G-Man steps out, glances at Gordon, checks his watch, nods with satisfaction, and moves on through another door opposite.

Gordon cautiously makes his way back up the corridor towards the elevator, but as he reaches it he jumps back a step as the elevator car plunges past, filled with panicked screaming, cut short when the whole mess hits the bottom of the shaft with a crash two floors later. Gordon cautiously leans out to peer down the shaft at the silent wreckage, and winces. A bit disquieted, he skirts the shaft and begins nimbly climbing the utility ladder alongside it.

INT – BLACK MESA – TESTING LAB

We see Dr. Vance kneeling on the ground next to the scientist we saw with him earlier. The latter is cradling an injured arm. There is a makeshift splint on his leg.

**DR. VANCE**

"Why didn't they listen? We tried to warn them."

**SCIENTIST #4**

"I never thought I'd see a resonance cascade, let alone create one."

**DR. VANCE**

"Just try to stay calm. We'll get through—"

They both jump as, presently, the electronic sliding door behind them lurches open a few inches, accompanied by a grunt of effort from someone on the other side. The curved end of a crowbar hooks around the edge of the door, and it is pried open, with some difficulty. When it is about halfway open, Gordon pokes his helmeted head around the edge and looks in. Dr. Vance gets to his feet in astonishment.

**DR. VANCE**

"Gordon! You're alive! Thank God for that hazard suit."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Good to see you, too. One moment—"

He grabs the edge of the door with his gloved hands and hauls it the rest of the way open with a screech of metal and final grunt of effort. He enters the test lab and surveys the scene, and then glances at Dr. Vance.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Any theories on what happened down there?"

**DR. VANCE**

"It was the worst case scenario… a million to one fluke… a resonance cascade!"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[realizing the dire implications of this] "Jesus. That would tear open a dimensional rift, letting God-knows-what through."

**DR. VANCE**

"Indeed – and judging from the sounds I've been hearing outside, I'm not even sure He knows. Listen, our phones are out and I'm afraid to move him." [indicates the injured scientist on the floor] "We need you to find your way to the surface and let somebody know we're stranded down here."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"I can do that. I'll even see if I can dig up some supplies for you."

**DR. VANCE**

"Hopefully we won't be down here that long… but you can never tell. Fortunately, the retinal scanner still works over here, so that should keep the worst out. I'll let you out and lock it behind you. Just bang on the door if you've found something we can use."

Gordon nods, and the two of them head for the door. Dr. Vance punches in his code, and allows himself to be scanned. The door hisses open. The hallway beyond is dark, lacking even the emergency lighting of other places.

Gordon turns on a helmet-mounted flashlight on his hazard suit, checking the corridor in both directions.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"It's clear."

**DR. VANCE**

"Be careful."

Dr. Vance gives him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and Gordon cautiously heads out into the darkness. The door hisses shut behind him.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS

Dr. Green and Dr. Cross head up a flight of stairs. Both have added ammunition belts over their Hazard suits. They head down a short hallway at the top and see, through a window, a security guard backing away from a trio of howling alien creatures, each about the size of a dog, with three legs and a single huge red compound eye where the head should be. These are houndeyes.

He fires frantically, but not accurately enough to take them out in time. Blood dribbles from his ears, and he starts spasming, firing wildly; a bullet hits the safety glass of the door, and it smashes into opacity a split second before we see (in silhouette) the guard's head explode, splattering the door with red before the glass disintegrates. The guard remains standing, headless, for a beat before falling to the floor. The houndeyes pounce and begin feeding, their eyes turning blue-black.

Green and Cross recoil in horror and continue running up the stairs.

They burst through an access door – the final stretch before the control room. They head up a curved flight of stairs; around the first bend they encounter a lone houndeye. It turns, startled, and begins its howl—

—only to be cut off when Green shoots it. Yellow-green blood spatters as it dies.

They reach the top of the stairs at a dead run and turn down a short hallway, at the end of which is the door to the control room. Opposite this hallway there is a server room, and as they head for the control room there is a hideous bellow behind them.

Cross turns to see the threat, and two headcrab zombies in science team uniforms lurch out of the server room, claws raised.

She jog-skips backwards, firing at the zombies as Green reaches the door. It is tightly shut. She bangs on it with the crowbar that Cross had been using

**DR. GREEN**

"Open the door! Dr. Rosenberg, it's us! Open up! Please!"

One of the zombies falls under Cross' fire. The other steps over its companion and continues forward, roaring.

**DR. ROSENBERG, within**

"Dr. Green, is that you? Thank God! Just let me get the door open."

Dr. Cross's gun clicks dry, but the zombie is nearly on her – no time to reload. She grabs the thing by its bloodstained lab coat, brings an armored knee up sharply between its legs – once, twice, three times – and then snaps her helmeted head forward, as hard as she can, into the alien passenger on its head.

The door hisses open as the zombie staggers back, injured and disoriented, and Cross follows Green into the control room.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – CONTROL ROOM

Dr. Rosenberg steps aside as Green and Cross hurry in to safety; he is wielding a fire axe. He shuts the door after them, and they slump in relief, trying to catch their breath. Dr. Keller is also there, sitting at the console in his wheelchair. They both appear frazzled but unhurt.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Thank goodness you survived. Those H.E.V suits of yours are well-designed, Dr. Cross."

**DR. CROSS**

"Thank you, Dr. Rosenberg."

**DR. GREEN**

"Unfortunately, we've observed an increasing number of borderworld fauna in the research facility. If the cascade continues as it has been, the population of alien life-forms will only increase as more of them wander into the affected zone. We'll be overwhelmed in less than a day."

**DR. KELLER**

[nods] "We understand that. Fortunately, doctors, we have formulated a plan. You need to escort Dr. Rosenberg to the surface, so he can call for help. I couldn't possibly make it in my chair. I'll stay behind and assess the damage to our equipment, and the extent of the cascade. Maybe I can find a clue as to what went wrong."

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"I don't like the idea of leaving you here, but it seems we have no choice."

**DR. KELLER**

"Let me activate the service lift. There's a shortcut through the training area that will get you to the surface. Good luck."

The lift doors hiss open behind them.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"All right – let's go."

Rosenberg, Cross, and Green enter the lift. The doors close.

* * *

End of Part 2.

Editor's note: I've been having fun trying to match up the different points where the timelines cross. I was going to have Barney in his chapter, until I realized that he won't be up and around until after the HECU arrive (NPCs refer to Cpl Shepherd's apparent demise in the chapter "Duty Calls"), placing the chopper crash somewhat before Barney wakes up in the crashed elevator.

Whether Gordon hopes for more than a professional relationship with Gina Cross I will leave as an exercise for the reader.


	3. Preparations

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – LOCKER ROOM

Gordon enters the locker room cautiously, the only light coming from his helmet-mounted flashlight. It is spooky in the darkness, filled with eerie shadows that all look like they could hide some sort of alien monster. He looks around, his breathing loud and tense within the helmet. His light falls on a janitorial mop and bucket set, stenciled with the Black Mesa logo; whatever became of the janitor must have happened too fast to disturb them.

As he makes his way to his locker, a shuffling noise makes him pause, glancing to his right. His light falls on the bank of lockers that separates one side of the locker room from the other. He is unable to make out anything lurking beyond.

His grip tightens on his crowbar, his only defense. He reaches his locker and quietly manipulates the combination lock, crouching so his light falls on the dial. He lifts the handle as silently as he can, and eases the door open with a faint rattle.

Something scampers along the tops of the lockers towards him. He looks up in time to see a headcrab scrabbling over the lockers. It stops short as the light hits it, and crouches in preparation to spring. He grabs the closest thing to hand – his copy of "The 37th Mandala" – and holds it up like a shield as the headcrab pounces at his face. It latches onto the thick book reflexively, its beak gnawing its way through the pages. He throws the book hard against the floor, crab-side down, and stomps on it. The headcrab squeals and dies.

There is a bellow from the other side of the row of lockers – the creature has been alerted – a headcrab zombie!

Gordon must think fast. He glances at the mop and bucket set. He gets an idea. He snatches his messenger bag from the locker, taking a moment to glance at the Albert Einstein poster for reassurance, and slams the door.

The headcrab zombie shambles around the end of the lockers. It is wearing a stained blue janitorial jumpsuit with the Black Mesa logo stenciled on the back. It glances around, notices the book with the squished headcrab under it.

It hears a sharp whistle and turns.

It barely has time to register Gordon's presence before he strikes, whipping the wet string mop around so the business end slaps the zombie across the face with a satisfying SPLAT.

The impact spins the zombie around almost 180 degrees, and before it can regain its equilibrium Gordon grabs the back of its uniform and heaves the zombie around in a wide arc to slam it, headfirst, against a locker with a thunderous crash. It staggers back, the crushed headcrab oozing yellow blood down the remains of the zombie's head, until it trips on the janitorial bucket and falls to the floor. Gordon looks down on it, prods the body with the toe of his boot, and finally nods, satisfied that it is dead, or at least disabled.

He shoulders his messenger bag and heads out of the locker room.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – CORRIDOR

Gordon hustles along towards the staff kitchen, a purposeful look on his face.

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN), v.o.**

"May I ask you a question?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Go ahead."

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN), v.o.**

"Where did you learn such skills?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"High school gym class."

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN), v.o.**

"Oh. Did you play field hockey?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Nope. I was a chemistry nerd all through school."

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN), v.o.**

"Then why…?" [beat] "I see. That explains the presence of a file in your permanent record entitled 'The Capsaicin Incident'."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[grins] "Our quarterback never ran so fast."

He turns a corner and enters…

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – BREAK ROOM

Gordon approaches the vending machines and considers his choices: A sandwich machine on the left, a snack machine in the middle, and a soda machine on the right. Beyond the soda machine Gordon's flashlight falls on a countertop with a microwave oven at the far end and a series of storage cabinets underneath. Beyond the counter there is a refrigerator.

Gordon jams the straight end of the crowbar behind the front of the soda machine and pries at it. After a couple heaves, the machine gives way, revealing the tidy columns of canned soda stored within. He sets the crowbar on the floor at his feet and kneels on the floor, opening his messenger bag, and starts loading it with soda.

When the bag is about a third of the way full, he hears a crackling sound behind him, like the universe clearing its throat. The sound is accompanied by a green-orange flash and followed by a slightly disoriented silence.

Gordon pauses with a can of Mountain Dew in his hand, listening hard and very carefully not moving. He hears leathery footsteps on the tiles of the hallway.

At the doorway, a digitigrade leg unfolds into view, followed by its partner. They belong to a humanoid alien of a similar type to the one that tried to blast Gordon with green lightning during his earlier unwitting jaunt to Xen, but we see that this one wears a metal collar and bracelets. It has smooth, slightly slimy dark green skin, a hunched posture, and a slender third arm growing from the middle of its chest. This is a Vortigaunt. The slit pupil of its central eye dilates, while the five smaller red eyes surrounding it gleam. Its fingertips start to crackle with electricity…

Gordon spins on one knee, side-arming the can of Dew at the alien and catching it in the chest. The lightning latches onto the metal can, which explodes in a green shower of soda, temporarily blinding the Vort while Gordon snatches up another random can of soda and takes aim.

The Vort charges, its clawed hands ready to attack.

Gordon, backed into a corner, kicks out with one boot, catching the thing in the abdomen and sending it stumbling back a few steps. As it gets ready to pounce again, Gordon swings his messenger bag, weighted down with canned soda.

The bag catches the Vort broadside, slamming it into the opened soda machine, the jolt causing the machine to eject out all the remaining cans of soda with a loud CHUNKA-CHUNKA-CHUNKA-CHUNKA.

The Vort stumbles away from the soda machine, attempting to outmaneuver this unexpectedly dangerous opponent. It steps on the rolling soda cans and flails for a few seconds, trying to regain its balance.

Gordon advances slowly, until he is only a couple of feet away from the creature.

The Vort stops flailing, having finally caught its balance… mostly.

Gordon glances down and sees that it is standing precariously on a couple rolling cans of soda. By all appearances, a hard sneeze would send it flying. Gordon smiles at the creature and, keeping his eye on his opponent, bends to pick up his crowbar from the floor.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Say goodnight."

Its expression is hard to read, but it seems to fully expect the next few seconds to hurt.

Gordon clocks it in the head with the crowbar with a satisfying CLANG. The Vort's feet go flying out from under it. It lands hard on the floor, scattering soda cans everywhere.

Gordon double-checks to make sure it is out for the count. Satisfied, he turns back to the vending machines.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"High school lunchroom."

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN), v.o.**

"I never even asked."

Gordon steps carefully between the scattered sodas and starts prying open the snack machine.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – SERVICE LIFT

Cross, Green, and Rosenberg wait as the lift rumbles to its destination. Cross ejects a spent clip and shoves a new one into place, chambering a round with practiced ease.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Now, despite what Dr. Keller said, our priority must be the safety of Black Mesa personnel. We need to reach the surface to get to the satellite communication equipment. Once they know what's going on, I'm confident they will immediately send in the military to rescue us. There's an elevator nearby that will take us where we need to go." [The elevator rumbles to a stop] "Follow me!"

The door opens into:

INT – BLACK MESA – MAINTENANCE ROOM

This room is made of dull gray cement, with computerized controls against one wall. In the far corner a flight of stairs leads up to a security door. Rosenberg runs up them, followed by Cross and Green.

At the top of the stairs, Rosenberg keys open the door. They continue through a short hallway to another door, which opens into:

INT – BLACK MESA – HAZARD COURSE – OBSERVATION ROOM

This small, low-ceilinged room is brightly lit by fluorescent lights, revealing the computerized controls set into the middle of the wall opposite the door they came in. Flanking the terminal are a pair of windows, covered by metal shutters. In the left wall there is another service lift, while the right wall is dominated by a cork bulletin board partially covered with assessment sheets.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"I should be able to activate the radio from here, so we can transmit right away when we get up there. The less time we're fiddling around with things on the surface, the better. Considering what we've seen down here, God only knows what's topside."

He starts working at the controls, occasionally dashing back and forth between the two computers.

Dr. Green glances at the metal shutter, working out where they are.

**DR. GREEN**

"So, this is where you watch over the Hazard certification tests?"

**DR. CROSS**

"Yeah. I designed the course when I was testing the Mark III Hazard suit, and retooled it for the Mark IV. [beat] I never imagined anything like this would happen."

**DR. GREEN**

"Neither did I. I mean, we're scientists, not soldiers."

**DR. CROSS**

"But I bet you're glad that Dr. Breen insisted on hazard certification."

**DR. ROSENBERG**

[still typing, reading the results as they flicker across the screen] "Okay, looks like the radio isn't damaged – that's a relief. It's up and ready to transmit." [nods towards the service lift] "This should get us to the surface… if it's still working. If not, we may be in trouble."

The three of them enter the lift, and Rosenberg pushes a button on the control panel.

INT – BLACK MESA – HAZARD COURSE – SERVICE LIFT

The lift gives an affirmative chime and rumbles upwards; only then does Rosenberg relax.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Thank God. That's the first good thing that's happened all day. I just hope we don't run into any problems up ahead."

**DR. CROSS**

"Are we headed to the service trolley?"

Rosenberg nods.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"It should take us directly to the surface."

**DR. CROSS**

"There's a high-security access tunnel we'll have to get through first."

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"How high is the security clearance?"

**DR. CROSS**

"I should be able to override it – but the override console is at the surface end. It was designed to be used from that end, after all."

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Well, there should still be security personnel who will let us through…"

Cross and Green exchange a dubious look.

**DR. ROSENBERG, cont'd.**

[hopeful] "… shouldn't there?"

**DR. GREEN**

"Sounds like somebody's never watched _Star Trek_."

**DR. CROSS**

"The turrets are going to be hell to get through."

**DR. GREEN**

"I'll go."

**DR. CROSS**

"Are you sure?"

**DR. GREEN**

"Well, you scored me on the speed and agility obstacles. I should be able to push a button at the end."

**DR. CROSS**

"Is your suit fully charged?"

**DR. GREEN**

"It's at 90 percent. It should be able to take a few rounds."

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"You know, there is a fine line between brave and suicidal…"

**DR. GREEN**

"Don't worry – I know exactly what I'm doing." [beat] "I hope."

The elevator comes to a halt, the door sliding open.

INT – BLACK MESA – ACCESS CORRIDOR – ENTRYWAY

There is a dimly-lit, small control room here, with a security door in the far wall and another metal door to the right. A figure in a security guard uniform sits slightly atilt in a swivel chair by a radio station, his back to them.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Ah! You see? I told you there would be nothing to worry about – we'll just have this guard radio ahead… sir?"

At this point he reaches out and takes the guard by the shoulder, intending merely to get his attention. He turns the guard in the swivel chair…

… and lets out a cry of horror, recoiling when he sees the guard has been clawed all to hell. The face is a ruin, the lower jaw torn away. Exposed ribs are visible through the gory tatters of the man's uniform. He still clutches the radio's microphone in one hand and a service pistol in the other. The slide is back on the pistol, looking like the gun jammed or ran out at a crucial moment.

Rosenberg shrinks back from the mess, pale with shock. Green looks like she wants to throw up.

**DR. CROSS**

[weakly] "Still want to do this?"

Green swallows her bile before speaking.

**DR. GREEN**

"… I don't think we have any choice."

Rosenberg gingerly over and picks up the microphone the corpse is holding – the hand comes with, still clutching the mic in a death grip. Making a face, Rosenberg presses the talk button.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Er… hello? Is anyone there?"

He releases the talk button. There is silence for a few seconds before the speaker crackles to life. An eerie cacophony howls through, sounding at first like the incoherent roar of a headcrab zombie. Then…

**ZOMBIE, radio**

[distorted and muffled; the sound guys will have a ball with this] "Checking in… area secure… Oh God what is that… somebody help meeeeee…"

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"What in God's name…?"

**DR. GREEN**

"This is going to suck. Dodging bullets, then dodging more of those zombie things."

Dr. Cross has been glancing around the room, and presently she sees something encouraging: a wide ventilation duct running along the ceiling, one branch of which apparently heads over the secure corridor.

**DR. CROSS**

"I think there may be an easier way."

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"What is it?"

**DR. CROSS**

"When I was evaluating Dr. Freeman for his Hazard certification this morning, the power went out, but he still finished the course."

**DR. GREEN**

"But the firing range at the end… without power, the course won't register that you hit the targets."

**DR. CROSS**

"That's right – and until you hit all the targets, the last door won't open."

**DR. GREEN**

"So how did he get out?"

**DR. CROSS**

"Well, I told him he would have to wait for the power to come back on, but he said he had it handled. The next thing I knew, he dropped out of a vent behind me – it scared the hell out of me."

**DR. GREEN**

"But that had to be more than fifty feet of vent-crawling!"

**DR. CROSS**

"Yeah – but according to one of the security guards, he did this all the time during his internship – apparently, Dr. Kleiner kept locking his keys in his office or something. The guard called it 'the Freeman Maneuver'."

**DR. GREEN**

"Well, it certainly sounds less dangerous than running through gun turrets, in any case. I'll give it a shot."

**DR. CROSS**

"On the bright side, the duct looks like it should accommodate you with no problem."

Cross reaches up to the low vent and jimmies it open with her crowbar. She pulls herself up on the edge of the opening, peeks inside, and drops back down, satisfied.

**DR. CROSS, cont'd.**

"It's wide open for a good hundred feet. When you get to the security door at the other end of the hall, just hit the security override button on the console. It should be marked. That will deactivate the gun turrets so Dr. Rosenberg and I can get through. I'll stay here in case anything tries to get in."

She looks at the mangled corpse of the guard.

**DR. CROSS, cont'd.**

"Just don't open the other security door until we get there. We don't know what, or how many, is in there."

**DR. GREEN**

"Got it. Wish me luck."

She holds up her clenched fist at about face level. Cross taps it with her own fist, then cups her hands low to boost Green into the duct. Green steps up and pulls herself into the duct, then peer back out at Cross.

**DR. GREEN**

"I'll let you know when I'm through."

Cross nods.

**DR. CROSS**

"Be careful."

Green retreats into the duct, and we hear her moving away as Cross closes the vent cover.

INT – BLACK MESA – ANOMALOUS MATERIALS – TEST LAB

Dr. Vance and Scientist #4 glance up as they hear a metallic tap-tap-tap on the door. As Vance gets up to answer it, we hear something being beamed in outside the door, accompanied by a green flash at the left end of the thin crack under the door.

**GORDON FREEMAN, outside**

"Shit!"

Sounds of boots running and leathery feet in pursuit. To the far right of the door, we hear a fire extinguisher going off, followed by a Vortigaunt's snarl of frustration and confusion. There is an electrical blast, followed by a muffled curse from Gordon. Pandemonium reigns outside for maybe ten seconds, until a hollow, metallic impact ends the fight.

Footsteps approach, accompanied by a heavy dragging sound. These end just outside the door, followed by heavy breathing. Finally, there is a metallic tap-tap-tap on the door, as before.

Dr. Vance exchanges a glance with Scientist #4, and then cautiously approaches the door.

**DR. VANCE**

"Gordon? Is that you?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[catching his breath] "Yeah. Let me in."

Dr. Vance sighs in relief. He operates the retinal scanner, and the door hisses open.

Gordon's hazard suit and visor are spattered with yellow alien blood. In particular, his right arm is splashed with yellow, as is the spent and dented fire extinguisher he still holds.

**DR. VANCE**

"My God, Gordon! Are you okay?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Relatively speaking."

He drops the fire extinguisher on the floor. He un-shoulders his messenger bag, now filled with soda and bagged snacks.

**GORDON FREEMAN, cont'd**

"I brought some food and drinks, and the first aid kit from the break room."

He sets the bag on the floor near Scientist #4 with a thud.

**GORDON FREEMAN, cont'd**

"Careful. The soda might be a bit fizzy." [beat] "It's not much in the way of nutrition, but it should keep you going until help arrives."

He rummages in the bag and surfaces with a white metal box with a red first-aid cross on it. He hands this to Vance.

**GORDON FREEMAN, cont'd.**

"Just in case."

**DR. VANCE**

"Thanks, Gordon."

Scientist #4 investigates the contents of the messenger bag.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Now the two of you just stay put until help arrives. There's a lot of scary stuff out there [motions to his spattered self] as you can probably tell. I'll be back as soon as I can. And lock up behind me."

He turns and heads back for the open doorway. Presently, Scientist #4 surfaces with a snack bag…

**SCIENTIST #4**

"Funyuns? I *hate* Funyuns!"

Gordon stops dead in his tracks, a muscle twitching in his jaw. He slowly turns back, giving Scientist #4 a look of pure doom.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Tell you what. Next time I make a snack run, you can come with me and pick out whatever you like. And since you offered…"

He heads outside and hauls something into the room: the battered corpse of a Vortigaunt, with Gordon's crowbar hooked into the back of its skull like a gaffing hook. Both Vance and Scientist #4 recoil from the corpse in surprise and horror.

**GORDON FREEMAN, cont'd.**

"You can help me kill any more of these we run across."

**DR. VANCE**

"Good God! What is that?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"It *was* dangerous. *Now* it's a specimen. You might be able to find out a thing or two about these things."

He wrenches the crowbar out of the corpse with a sickening crunch.

Scientist #4 stares at the alien corpse in wide-eyed silence. In the background we hear distant sounds of gunfire, alien monsters, and people dying. Scientist #4 regards the bag of Funyuns in his hand, then glances at the dead Vortigaunt, and finally looks at Gordon, considering the fact that Gordon is fairly uninjured and in a protective suit, and he is not.

**SCIENTIST #4**

[cowed] "I suppose nobody ever died from eating Funyuns."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Glad to hear it." [to Vance] "Any idea where I can find a new helmet radio? This one's shot."

**DR. VANCE**

[still looking apprehensively at the dead alien] "There might be some in a supply closet in the lower levels of the office complex, near the research labs. If not, I'm sure you can cobble something together. You've always been quite… resourceful."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"All right. Thanks."

Gordon leaves, and Dr. Vance secures the door behind him.

**SCIENTIST #4**

[sulky] "I still don't think he needed to take that tone with me."

**DR. VANCE**

"Shut up and eat your goddamn Funyuns, Walter."

Scientists #4 opens the bag and munches unhappily.

* * *

End of Part 3.

Author's note: I cut out pretty much the entirety of the Hazardous Course mission because I didn't like the way it flowed. The scenes with Gordon in the locker room and kitchen were to give the Decay subplot time to catch up, so that the distress call to Santego will have gone out by the time Gordon gets to the offices in the next chapter. I'm going to have fun in the coming scenes demonstrating that Gordon is smart as well as a badass... esp. when the military arrives for "We've Got Hostiles" up ahead... (science nerd + survival situation = MacGyver?)


	4. Communications

INT – BLACK MESA – ACCESS CORRIDOR – CONTROL ROOM

The control room at this end is smaller than the other one, barely an architectural footnote. Against one wall is a security console, smeared red with blood, with a red arc of what looks like arterial spray marring the wall above it. Something very bad happened here, but the perpetrator seems to have wandered off. We can see a gun turret in the ceiling of the access corridor she just bypassed; a red light blinks at its base, indicating it is active.

There is a watchful silence for a few seconds, before the vent cover in the ceiling is kicked open from within. Dr. Green looks out, checking for any danger before reversing herself and slipping out of the duct feet-first to land on the floor near the console.

**DR. GREEN**

"I'm through."

**DR. CROSS**, radio

"Okay. Do you see the security console?"

**DR. GREEN**

"Yeah… I think I found where a guard got jumped." [grimaces] "He's gone, though."

**DR. CROSS**, radio

"Okay. On the console you should see a red button marked 'Security Override'."

Dr. Green scans the console until she finds the button in question. It is big and red, sitting under a mollyguard.

**DR. GREEN**

"I see it."

**DR. CROSS**

"Push it."

Dr. Cross flips up the mollyguard and pushes the button. Text starts printing on the screen

**DR. GREEN**

"It's asking for a passcode."

**DR. CROSS**

"Five-six-nine-four-three-two-alpha-tango."

Dr. Green types in the passcode.

**COMPUTER VOICE**

"Security… override… engaged."

The red "active" light on the visible gun turret goes out.

**DR. GREEN**

"Okay, it's safe!"

INT – BLACK MESA – ACCESS CORRIDOR – ENTRY

**DR. CROSS**

"Okay." [to Dr. Rosenberg] "Let's go."

Cross and Rosenberg head down the neutered access corridor. Rosenberg glances uneasily at the turrets as one would watch a snake that one is unable to identify as non-venomous.

INT – BLACK MESA – ACCESS CORRIDOR – CONTROL ROOM

Rosenberg and Cross enter the control room, and Rosenberg keys open the security door. Through the doorway we can see a service trolley, used to transport goods to and from the surface.

They head for the trolley, eager to get out of the thick of things. A few headcrab zombies stagger forward from the shadows, roaring, but Cross and Green bundle Rosenberg onto the trolley. Cross punches the power button and pushes the throttle forward. The trolley begins rolling into a dark tunnel. Cross and Green switch on their helmet-mounted flashlights.

**DR. CROSS**

"Keep your head down, sir… anything could be lurking in these tunnels."

Rosenberg glances around nervously as, distantly, inhuman voices roar and screech.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"My life is in your hands, ladies…"

He ducks down as the trolley plunges into the darkness. There is a squeal and a crunch as they run over an unwary headcrab.

INT – BLACK MESA – OFFICE COMPLEX

The office complex of Black Mesa is a sterile while corporate nightmare, lit dimly by sputtering fluorescent lighting overhead. The floor space of this particular room has been divided into cubicles; the nearest cubicle wall has a few clipped comics from the newspaper pinned to it (possibly "Dilbert"), and there is a dead body lying on the floor in the foreground. Somewhere we hear the beep-beep-beep-beep of a computer with a stuck keyboard.

Gordon enters, leading with the beam from his flashlight; once he sees that it won't be needed here, he switches it off. He glances around, notes the dead body, and proceeds cautiously, his footsteps sounding hollow on the tiles of the raised floor. Hearing a scuffing noise, Gordon investigates the cubicles more closely.

Hiding beneath a workstation in one of the cubicles, we see a scientist folded in next to the computer tower, one hand clamped over a burn mark in the shoulder of his coat, and the other hand clutching a pair of yellow-smeared scissors for self-defense. There is a dead headcrab nearby in a puddle of yellow blood, with several frantic stab wounds in its thorax. He hears heavy footsteps (Gordon's) coming closer and shrinks back with a white-knuckled grip on the scissors, striking out with a yip of fear as the footsteps close in.

The scissors skip off the armored greaves of the Hazard suit. Gordon's reflexes prove to be faster than those of the terrified scientist, and he grabs the scissors away. He crouches to the scientist's level as the other man cowers away.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Hey. Hey. Chill, all right? It's Dr. Freeman, from downstairs."

He raises the visor so the man can see him better.

**SCIENTIST #7**

"… Dr. Freeman?" [recognizes him] "Oh yes! Dr. Kleiner's boy!"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[unimpressed at being called anyone's "boy"] "Yeah. Listen, I'm headed for the surface to get help down here. There are a couple of people hurt in Anomalous Materials, and probably a lot of people trapped, too. I need you to tell me as much as you know about what's up here so I don't blunder into something bad."

**SCIENTIST #7**

"There's a handful of people down the hall in some of the offices – I've heard them yelling. Charles and I tried to go help, but there was some sort of big green monster in the hall. It shot some sort of electricity at us." [nods at his injured shoulder] "We had to run back in here – but then some sort of giant spider jumped on Charles' face. I haven't seen him since."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Okay. Where's the nearest supply closet?"

**SCIENTIST #7**

[a bit puzzled] "At the end of the hall."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Damn."

Gordon thinks, considers his crowbar, but realizes he needs a more effective distance weapon.

**GORDON FREEMAN**, cont'd.

"I need you to help me find a few things."

**SCIENTIST #7**

"Is it safe to come out from here?"

Gordon glances around, sees no immediate danger. There is a distant roar and a scream.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Uh, yeah. We're fine for now. Come on. What's your name?"

**SCIENTIST #7**

"Um… Steve. Steve Barnaby."

Gordon tugs at the scientist's sleeve, and the scientist reluctantly unfolds and emerges as Gordon set him to work.

INT – BLACK MESA – TROLLEY TERMINAL

The service trolley emerges from the tunnel, still occupied by the watchful Cross and Green, and their charge Rosenberg. It appears that nothing attacked them in the tunnel (though we see the squished headcrab stuck in one of the wheel wells), and the trolley terminal is also empty. Opposite the tunnel entrance we see a heavy mesh gate, beyond which a short tunnel opens onto the surface. All we can see through the access tunnel is white, from the hot sun reflecting off the desert sand.

Rosenberg peeks up over the control panel as Cross eases back on the throttle. The trolley slows, coasting to a stop. It softly hits the bumper at the end of the track.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Is it clear?"

**DR. CROSS**

"Looks like it. Stay close, though."

They dismount from the trolley and head for the cargo door. Their footsteps echo hollowly; otherwise there are no signs of life.

When they reach the cargo door, Dr. Rosenberg pulls it open; it rattles heavily across its rollers.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Now that we've reached the surface we can try to call for help outside of Black Mesa. The satellite works independently from the phones, and it has its own power supply."

**DR. GREEN**

"Perfect for an emergency."

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Indeed. Once we contact Santego, I'm sure they'll send every available resource to help us out."

The three scientists continue outside into the desert heat, Rosenberg in the lead.

EXT – BLACK MESA – SURFACE

The desert is white hot in the late morning sun, the sunlight reflecting in oppressive waves off the sand. Distantly, we see heat-haze near the horizon. A paved road rendered pale with dust blown in from the desert leads from the cargo bay away into the distance. There are no signs of civilization anywhere near Black Mesa.

They approach a low, sprawling cement building, its roof bearing a satellite dish. This is the satellite communications station.

They reach the building and try the doorknob; it is locked. Dr. Rosenberg tries to break down the door with his shoulder, with little success. He steps back, rubbing his shoulder, as Dr. Cross steps up and applies her crowbar and forces open the door. She peers in.

**DR. CROSS**

"It's clear."

They head through the door into…

INT – BLACK MESA – SATCOM STATION

This room is the main communications room. The walls are lined with monitors, each one featuring a graphical representation of a slowly rotating Earth. On one of the consoles is a microphone. We see the satellite radio is indeed operational, but there is an eerie lack of people attending to it. To the right a ramp leads down into the innards of the building.

Dr. Rosenberg takes a seat in a swivel chair and starts typing at a terminal. The display on the monitors zooms in on earth as he types in the coordinates, and small blinking red arrows show up to correspond with the "Origin" and "Destination" coordinates; the former indicates a spot in New Mexico, while the latter indicates a spot fairly nearby (in geographical terms) in Arizona.

Rosenberg hits "Enter", and the word "ALIGNING…" appear on the monitor.

We hear movement down in the darkness at the far end of the ramp, followed by a blat from the monitor. As we watch, the message on the monitor is replaced by "ALIGNMENT ERROR!"

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Crap. Something must be jammed downstairs. I need one of you to see what's wrong."

**DR. GREEN**

"I'll go."

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"All right. I'll keep an eye on the screen so we can transmit as soon as possible. Dr. Cross, keep an eye out in case something nasty comes up the ramp."

Dr. Cross nods and takes her post at the top of the ramp, while Dr. Green turns on her helmet flashlight and ventures down the ramp.

INT – BLACK MESA – OFFICE COMPLEX

Gordon is putting the finishing touches on a mechanism that he has crafted out of binder clips and a couple of thick rubber bands. (Note: He's using a design that can be found on the site, specifically the Super Maul, if anyone cares to look it up.)

**DR. BARNABY** (Scientist #7)

"What's that?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Well… think of it like a hand crossbow made out of paper clips. I built one of these in college to take care of a mouse that got into my dorm room."

**DR. BARNABY**

"Does it work?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"It got rid of the mouse. Hey, can I borrow a pen?"

**DR. BARNABY**

"… Should I expect to get it back?"

Gordon considers the question briefly.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Probably not. I'll try, though."

Barnaby fishes in his breast pocket and offers a cheap pen.

**DR. BARNABY**

"Here you go."

Gordon removes the cap with his teeth and breech-loads the pen into the binder-clip crossbow. He spits the cap onto a nearby desk.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"How many pens do you have?"

**DR. BARNABY**

"How many do you need?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Probably more than one."

Barnaby looks at the remaining collection of pens in his pocket. Most of them look expensive. He makes a face.

**DR. BARNABY**

"I'll see what I can dig up."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Don't worry about it. If I'm very, _very_ lucky, I'll only need one."

He pauses to consider how lucky his day has been so far, and grimaces.

**GORDON FREEMAN**, cont'd.

"Just stay here until I give the all clear."

He turns to the door leading into the hallway. We hear something big and angry in there.

**DR. BARNABY**

"Wait – you mean you're going in there?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[obviously] "Yeah. Someone has to."

**DR. BARNABY**

"Armed with a Bic pen and something you cobbled together from paper clips and rubber bands?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"And this."

He indicates the crowbar in his belt.

**DR. BARNABY**

"You're a braver man than I."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"See if you can hunt up first aid supplies – medkits, anything we can use as bandages, that sort of thing. There could be people hurt in there, and I want to get them taken care of as soon as possible. It's going to get kind of loud in that hall for a bit. I'll call you when it's clear."

**DR. BARNABY**

"And if you don't call?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Then you have my permission to have 'Damn Idiot' engraved on my tombstone."

He heads to the door, shutting the visor on his helmet. Barnaby scuttles away to find supplies.

INT – BLACK MESA – SATCOM STATION – BASEMENT

Dr. Green makes her way quickly through the darkened basement, gun at the ready. She hears movement behind her and to the right, and she pauses, glancing in that direction, but sees nothing.

She reaches a control panel set at roughly waist-height in a wall, with a green button and control wheel collectively labeled "SATELLITE DISH – MANUAL OVERRIDE". Above these is an access panel at roughly head-height, with a small amount of yellowish fluid dribbling from under the bottom edge of the panel. She holsters her gun.

**DR. GREEN**

"I found the manual override. There's some yellow stuff dripping from behind the access panel – I hope it's not hydraulic fluid."

**DR. CROSS** (radio)

"Hydraulic fluid for this system would be red. I doubt it's a leak."

**DR. GREEN**

"So it would look even _more_ like it's bleeding. Great."

**DR. CROSS** (radio)

"Don't be morbid, dear."

**DR. GREEN**

"Alright. Engaging the override now."

She hits the button, which lights up, and we hear machinery shifting gears to allow manual control. As she begins turning the control wheel, we hear squishy, chitinous noises behind the access panel, accompanied by even more yellow fluid. Dr. Green makes a face.

**DR. GREEN**

"Ugh…"

**DR. CROSS** (radio)

"What is it?"

**DR. GREEN**

"Something's getting crunched up in there. Looks like one of the borderworld life-forms might have gotten in the gears."

She opens the access panel to see the chopped-up remains of a headcrab gumming up the gears.

**DR. GREEN**, cont'd.

[sotto] "…Gross." [aloud] "Yup. One of the spiders got caught. I'm clearing it out now."

She reaches in and starts removing headcrab chunks from the machinery. Something moves silently in the shadows behind her; it looks like a Vortigaunt. She glances around, sensing danger, but sees nothing. She finishes removing the chunkier bits of exoskeleton from the machinery and closes the access panel.

**DR. GREEN**

"Okay, the gears are clear. I'm rotating the dish now – say when."

She starts turning the control wheel again. We hear the gears moving inside the machinery; no further alien goo issues from the access panel.

INT – BLACK MESA – OFFICE COMPLEX

Gordon opens the door on its pneumatic hinge and steps into the hallway with his improvised weaponry. Lining both sides of the hall are closed office doors, and at the far end of the hall we see a Vortigaunt, and beyond it is an emergency exit door straight ahead; to the right of the emergency exit is another door with a sign reading "SUPPLIES".

The Vortigaunt turns as Gordon steps into the hallway. It snarls. Green lightning leaps from its fingers, and arcs towards Gordon, who flings himself into a corner to one side to avoid it. The bolt skips off his shoulder…

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN)**

"Electrical damage detected."

… and the suit absorbs the impact with a ripple of energy. Gordon pushes himself out of the corner and steps back to the middle of the hallway, taking aim with his binder-clip crossbow as the Vortigaunt snarls and charges.

Gordon fires the pen at his foe, and the projectile embeds itself in one of the peripheral eyes. The Vort roars, but keeps charging…

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Shit. Shit shit shit—"

…and Gordon barely has time to brace for impact before the Vort hits, driving Gordon back against the wall. It grapples with him, clawing and biting. One of its claws swipes across his visor, leaving thin scratches. Gordon looks like he is very glad that it was the visor and not his face.

Gordon strikes back immediately, punching the thing in the teeth when it tries to bite, before tearing the pen from its bleeding eye socket. He jabs the pen into its central eye, which seems to have a more rewarding effect, driving it temporarily back. It roars, clawing at the pen, finally managing to pull it out.

This distraction gives Gordon the opportunity to draw his crowbar from his belt. He swings at the Vort's head, but it blocks the crowbar with its forearm. Gordon grunts tries desperately to shove the thing off him.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"I could use a little help here, Mark IV!"

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN)**

"Initializing heavy lifting module."

We see power surge into the arms and legs of Gordon's hazard suit.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Heavy lifting module? What's that going to—?"

He shoves the Vort again, successfully this time, accompanied by a whirr as the suit augments his strength. The Vort is knocked back several steps. There is a startled pause. Then Gordon glances at his hands, looks up at the Vort, and smirks.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Cool."

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN)**

"I aim to please, sir."

Gordon rushes at the Vort, knocking it briefly off its feet. It regains its footing, still locked together in a sumo grapple, but its feet skitter and skid backwards as Gordon regains his forward momentum. Its claws skip off the armor plates of his Hazard suit as it tries to find a weak spot, but it loses its grip at the shock of being rammed against the emergency exit door. The door is driven open into a set of fire stairs.

The Vort releases Gordon and braces in the doorway, grabbing onto the doorframe and hanging on grimly. Green electricity starts to crackle at the fingertips of its chest-arm.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Oh no you don't."

He jabs two fingers into its bleeding central eye socket. It roars with pain and releases the doorframe, staggering backwards and tumbling down the stairs. It comes to rest on the landing and is still. Gordon stands at the top of the stairs for a few seconds, still breathing hard, and then heaves a sigh of relief, sagging against the doorway.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"When I get out of here, I'm getting Dr. Cross a book on trans-dimensional wormholes _and_ a new soldering iron."

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN)**

"So noted."

He straightens up with a groan and heads back up the hallway.

INT – BLACK MESA – SATCOM STATION – BASEMENT

Dr. Green is still at the manual override, finishing the final adjustments.

**DR. CROSS**, radio

"A bit more… there we go. Now hurry up and get back up here."

**DR. GREEN**

"Will do."

She deactivates the manual override and turns to go back the way she came.

In the shadows, she sees a shadow moving across the basement. It looks like a Vortigaunt. Presently, it turns, its six eyes gleaming in the beam from her flashlight. Green instinctively ducks below the safety rail and switches off her light. The only light that remains comes from dim, widely-spaced light bulbs. It is difficult to see with any clarity. Green listens hard, trying to regulate her breathing.

She hears a clatter to her left and slightly behind her. She glances in that direction, quietly drawing her gun and readying it.

She holds her breath, listening hard.

Behind her, she hears the sound of a creature being beamed in from Xen. She turns her head to peek behind her, and she sees a disoriented Vortigaunt standing on the service platform behind her, trying to get its bearings. She glances over at the sound of guttural alien language from the direction of the first Vort; the two have a brief conversation. Green estimates that she might be able to take out one of these – but maybe not two at once. Vort #1 points in the direction of the service platform, still talking. Vort #2 turns; it locks eyes with Green. There is a startled moment.

Green recovers first – she bursts into a dead run. There is a roar behind her, but she does not look back.

She dodges around the railings and storage crates in the basement, vaulting over a low obstacle moments before an arc of green lightning slams into it. Seconds later, one of the Vorts leaps over it after her.

She reaches a steel door and barrels through it into a stairwell leading up. She stops and slams the door behind her (showing the words "BASEMENT ACCESS" stenciled in white on the stairway side of the door), bracing her feet on the bottom of the concrete stairs as two hundred pounds of alien slam into it from the other side. The door shudders and is jarred briefly open a few inches under the impact.

Green turns, aiming her gun at the basement door, daring the thing to try again at this natural bottleneck. She is equal parts resolved to kill the thing and hoping it doesn't come through with its buddy.

**DR. GREEN**

"Come on… come on, you ugly bastard…"

For a few seconds all we hear is Green's breathing. There is no activity from the other side of the door. Either the Vort knocked itself out on the door, or else it has abandoned the chase.

Slowly, cautiously, Green backs towards the stairs and starts backing up them to the main level.

**DR. CROSS**, radio

"Everything okay down there?"

**DR. GREEN**

[still rattled] "I'm okay… I'm okay… we, uh, got monsters in the basement, though."

**DR. CROSS**, radio

"Jesus. This just keeps getting worse. Are you hurt?"

**DR. GREEN**

"I'm on the verge of a coronary, but other than that, I'm fine. I, uh, I think they're contained for now."

**DR. CROSS**, radio

"Okay. Get up here as fast as you can. I'll meet you at the top of the stairs and we'll seal off the basement. Got it?"

**DR. GREEN**

"Okay, I'm on my way."

She watches the door carefully for any further signs of activity for a few more seconds; seeing none, she finally turns and jogs up the stairs.

INT – BLACK MESA – OFFICES

Gordon glances over at one of the office doors as the blinds swivel cautiously open in the window. In his hand he is carrying a spare helmet radio and a screwdriver.

Half a dozen scientist types peek out the window through the blinds. He gives them a thumbs-up. The door lock clicks, and the office door opens. One of the bolder occupants ventures out. Behind Gordon, another set of blinds opens, and we see the G-Man, looking quite calm.

**SCIENTIST #8**

"Thank goodness you came! I thought we'd be trapped here indefinitely with that… thing. Are you hurt at all?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"I got zapped on the shoulder a bit, but I'm okay."

**SCIENTIST #8**

"Let me take a look at that for you."

As he checks the scorch mark on the shoulder of the Hazard suit, the G-Man casually exits the office behind Gordon and heads down the hall towards the stairs. He is followed out of the office by some more scientists, who appear not to notice anything amiss by his presence. The G-Man enters the stairwell and is gone. The Hazard suit has not been breached, and as the scientist examines the burn, it repairs itself, as do the claw marks on Gordon's visor.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"See? I told you, it's fine. Dr. Cross knows what she's doing."

**SCIENTIST #8**

[impressed] "Remarkable. Are you one of the security team?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"No, I'm one of the physicists from Anomalous Materials. I'm Dr. Freeman."

**SCIENTIST #8**

"Well, you certainly seemed to know what you were doing, fighting that thing."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Actually, I was kind of improvising. Mark IV, status report."

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN)**

"Power levels at 50%."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"I'm going to need a battery pack for this thing pretty soon if it's going to take this much punishment for long."

**SCIENTIST #8**

"There might be a couple in the office here, let me look."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"All right. Meet me in the cube farm. I need to switch out my radio. Is anyone hurt? Okay, you three go see Dr. Barnaby – he should be able to help."

Gordon heads over to the door leading back to the cube farm, pausing to retrieve something from the floor with his free hand. He opens the door and leans through.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Dr. Barnaby? It's Gordon. Everything's all right."

Dr. Barnaby peers over the top of the cubicle wall. Gordon waves and Barnaby venture out, seeing that it's safe.

**DR. BARNABY**

"You're okay? What happened to the… the alien?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"I threw it down the stairs. Hey, I brought your pen back."

He holds up the pen in question, but it is caked with yellowish gore and intraocular fluid. Dr. Barnaby makes a face.

**DR. BARNABY**

"… you can keep it."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[shrugs] "Okay. Did you find what I needed?"

**DR. BARNABY**

"A couple of medkits. I stole a set of curtains for bandages."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Good. Who knows first aid?"

Most of the rescuees raise their hands.

**GORDON FREEMAN**, cont'd.

"Great. Help Dr. Barnaby make bandages. There should be a couple extra pairs of scissors around here. If the restrooms are still working, get any open wounds cleaned up with soap and water."

He selects one of the few well-lit desks and sits down with the helmet radio and screwdriver. He takes off his helmet and begins working, unscrewing the old one from its mounting.

**SCIENTIST #8**

"Dr. Freeman?"

Gordon waves above the cubicle wall.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Over here."

Scientist #8 heads over with two battery packs.

**SCIENTIST #8**

"I found some battery packs. They should work with your suit just fine."

Gordon does not look up from his work; he is in his zone.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Great. Set them on the desk, here."

He points with the screwdriver. He returns his full attention to the helmet radio, detaching it cleanly. The scientist sets a couple of battery packs on the end of the desk nearby.

**GORDON FREEMAN**, cont'd.

"With any luck I'll be able to get in touch with some more people in the A-M lab."

**SCIENTIST #8**

"Is there anything else you need?"

Gordon is about to install the new radio. He pauses, considering this question.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"I could go for a Red Bull."

Scientist #8 looks puzzled by the request - here they are, in the middle of an alien invasion, and the man wants an energy drink?!

INT – BLACK MESA – SATCOM STATION

Dr. Rosenberg glances up from the keyboard as Cross and Green return.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Is everything all okay?"

**DR. GREEN**

"We had to seal off the basement. Hostile life-forms."

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Well, fortunately we won't have to make any further adjustments. I was able to send off a distress signal to Santego. With any luck the military should be here by lunchtime."

**DR. CROSS**

"That's great to hear. I can't help wondering how much worse this is going to get."

**DR. ROSENBERG**, cont'd.

"Now, don't talk like that. I'll just let Dr. Keller know help is on its way."

He goes to the microphone on the desk and presses the "talk" button.

**DR. ROSENBERG**, cont'd.

"Richard? It's Stanley. The military are on its way."

**DR. KELLER**, desk radio

"That's good to hear. Don't get your hopes up, though – the dampening fields are approaching critical. They need to be reset soon, or this whole thing could blow completely to hell."

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"All right. I'll send Dr. Cross and Dr. Green to help."

**DR. KELLER**, desk radio

"Good. Tell them to hurry up."

Dr. Rosenberg steps back from the radio.

**DR. ROSENBERG**

"Well, you heard the man. I'll stay here and wait for the military, while you go get those fields reset."

The women, bolstered by the apparent change in fortune, snap off military-precision salutes and head out of the satcom station.

EXT – BLACK MESA – SURFACE

As they leave the building, their helmet radios start to crackle and hiss with static. They hear a voice under the static, but it is distant and indistinct. When they head through the gate to the cargo area, there is a final bark of static, then the patient silence of an open line.

**GORDON FREEMAN**, radio

"Uh, hello?" [clears throat] "Hello? Can anyone hear me?"

Cross and Green pause, recognizing the voice.

**DR. CROSS**

"… Dr. Freeman?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**, radio

"Yeah. Who's this?"

[Note: for the rest of the conversation just switch the camera back and forth between the two locations as needed.]

**DR. CROSS**

"It's Dr. Cross. I have Dr. Green here with me, too."

**DR. GREEN**

"Good to hear from you, Dr. Freeman. We thought you were dead."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Same here. This Hazard suit has saved my life about three times today. Dr. Cross, you are an engineering genius."

**DR. CROSS**, radio

"Thank you, Dr. Freeman. Where are you?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"I'm in, uh, Sector A, in the offices. I've got a bunch of survivors trapped down here. Hey guys, I've made contact with people on the surface!"

The scientists cheer raggedly in the background.

**GORDON FREEMAN**, cont'd.

"So, got any good news for them?"

**DR. GREEN**

"A distress signal has been sent out to Santego. They should be here around noon."

**GORDON FREEMAN**, radio

"So… about an hour and a half. Great. I'm on my way to the surface to get help. Any idea where they'll land?"

**DR. CROSS**

"The north helipad will give them the most direct entry point to the complex. I suggest you head there so you can lead them to the survivors in the lower levels."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"All right. Anyone else on your team I should know about?"

**DR. CROSS**

"Dr. Rosenberg is in the satcom building – he said he'd meet up with the military there. Dr. Keller is still in the control room. We were just headed there to help him reset the dampening fields."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"The cascade is still going on, isn't it?"

**DR. CROSS**

"All signs say yes."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[resigned] "Okay. Good luck. And be careful."

**DR. CROSS**

"You too."

The radio link closes.

INT – BLACK MESA – OFFICES

Gordon gives a sigh of relief. It appears the day is improving.

* * *

End of Chapter 4.

Author's note: I had a good time writing this chapter. As you can see, I wanted to show that Gordon was not only a badass, but a smart guy as well, without resorting to cheap MacGyverisms. He's going to need his brains after the military lands, though...


	5. Oh Crap

EST – SANTEGO MILITARY BASE

We see a remote military base in the Arizona desert, tan and dusty but crawling with military personnel. Cargo trucks motor along between buildings, and soldiers interact with the camaraderie of brothers at arms. Their desert-tan uniforms mark them as Marines.

Green letters print out along the lower left corner of the frame: SANTEGO MILITARY BASE, ARIZONA

At one end of the military base we see an obstacle course being run by new and seasoned soldiers alike, and we hear the booming voice of a drill sergeant spurring them on through the course.

EXT – SANTEGO MILITARY BASE

A technician sits at a radio, listening to an incoming message through headphones. He reacts with surprise and flags down a passing officer, whose uniform tag identifies him as BURKE and whose stripes identify him as a sergeant.

**RADIO TECHNICIAN**

"Sir!"

**SGT. BURKE**

"What is it?"

**RADIO TECHNICIAN**

"I'm getting a distress signal from the Black Mesa Research Facility!"

It appears that Burke was forewarned of this, but he was hoping it wouldn't happen.

**SGT BURKE**

"… Shit. Okay, thank you."

Burke heads over to a public address microphone and activates it. His voice echoes from speakers set up around the base.

**SGT BURKE** [P.A.]

"All members of HECU report immediately for duty. I repeat, all members of HECU report immediately for duty."

Various soldiers glance up. Among them are two corporals playing chess, whose name tags identify them as ADRIAN SHEPHERD and RICHARD COOKE. Shepherd is in his early twenties, tall, broad-shouldered and muscular, with a blond crew-cut. Cooke is a few years older, also muscular (hooray for the military fitness program!), and has a dark crew-cut.

**CPL COOKE**

"All right. This is it!"

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"Shit. Just when I had you against the ropes."

**CPL COOKE**

[laughs] "Suck it, Shep. I'll still kick your ass when we get back to base."

They get up and start following the general wave headed for the barracks. The HECU soldiers around them chatter in excitement; clearly they have been prepared for this.

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"I just hope this isn't another babysitting mission. I mean, rescuing geeks from a research facility? Somebody probably got a papercut."

**CPL COOKE**

"Hey, don't sell the unit short. HECU, right? The…"

**SHEPHERD/COOKE**

"Hazardous Environment Combat Unit."

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"Yeah, more like Huge Effing Cock-Ups. I mean, indoor combat training? We fighting Hans Gruber or something?"

**CPL COOKE**

"Yippy ki yay."

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"I guess that makes me Bruce Willis."

**CPL COOKE**

"Ha! You wish."

Shepherd gives Cooke a playful punch to the shoulder.

INT – SANTEGO MILITARY BASE – OFFICE

Burke takes a metal lockbox out of a drawer and opens it with a key on his keyring. Inside we find a stack of four narrow sealed manila envelopes, each fairly unremarkable overall except for the Black Mesa logo on the corner where one would expect a return address to go, and the words TOP SECRET stamped where the mailing address would be. He takes these out of the lockbox, and then closes and re-locks the box, returning it to the drawer.

INT – BLACK MESA – OFFICE COMPLEX

Gordon is helping with first aid, and is presently finishing tying a knot on a bandage on a scientist's arm.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Okay, how does that feel? Does it feel too tight?"

**SCIENTIST #9**

"No. It still hurts, though."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Try wiggling your fingers."

The scientist does so, successfully.

**GORDON FREEMAN**, cont'd.

"Okay, if you start feeling any numbness or tingling in your fingertips, have someone loosen that bandage a bit so your circulation doesn't get cut off. Now—" [calling to the refugees at large] "Everyone got some kind of weapon? Hold it up, please."

A forest of hands lifts, each one wielding a makeshift weapon. Half of them are holding up pens or pencils; a few have found metal rulers, and one is holding up a T-square.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[discouraged] … Uh. None of you knows how to fight.

**SCIENTIST #8**

"We're scientists, not soldiers, Dr. Freeman."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[sotto] "Ah God… this is gonna be hard." [aloud] "Look, I need all of you to stick close until I get back. You know as well as I do that there's a lot of hostile life-forms down here, and I don't want any of you to get killed. So buddy up. Make sure at least one other person knows where you are at all times. If you have to pee, pee in pairs."

**DR. BARNABY** [o.s.]

"Dr. Freeman!"

Gordon looks over in the direction of the voice.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[sotto] "What the hell did I just say about not wandering off alone?" [aloud] "Yeah? What is it?"

**DR. BARNABY** [o.s.]

"I've found one of the security offices on this floor."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Any firearms in there?"

**DR. BARNABY** [o.s.]

[uncertain] "Yes, but… I think I also found Charles."

Gordon takes only a moment to remember the unfortunate Charles before he heads off at a run to Barnaby's position.

INT – BLACK MESA – OFFICES – HALLWAY

Barnaby is outside the security office, watching bleakly through the blood-smeared window as a headcrab zombie in a lab coat wanders around inside. On the wall opposite is a cork bulletin board with a few notices and a schedule pinned to it. On the floor is the mangled corpse of a security guard, and "Charles" has a number of gunshot wounds in the torso; the wounds are not bleeding. Barnaby jumps slightly as Gordon closes with him.

**DR. BARNABY**

"Ah! God, you scared me!"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Scary times, sir. Is that Charles?"

**DR. BARNABY**

"Poor Charles… he was such a nice man. Always cheerful. He brought donuts to the office just last week."

Zombie-Charles lumbers up to the window and pauses, swaying slightly. It appears to be watching them. The forelegs of the headcrab wave idly at them. Gordon notes the gunshot wounds.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Didn't even stop him. Shooting them in the chest doesn't work."

**DR. BARNABY**

"I'm not entirely sure he's still alive."

Gordon glances over the monstrosity in the office, noting in particular the huge maw in place of the chest.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"No. I think we can safely say that Charles is dead." [beat] "I'll make this quick. I need you to fetch me the fire extinguisher from down the hall."

**DR. BARNABY**

"Okay."

Barnaby jogs off, and Gordon kicks open the office door, entering to confront the zombie. He reaches over and shuts the blinds.

We hear a roar and a yell, and then something getting brained. Gordon bashes the thing two more times to make sure, before opening the blinds again as he straightens up. Barnaby returns with the requested fire extinguisher just in time to catch the tail end of the battle, and he recoils when he sees the revealed carnage within. There is a splatter of yellow blood on the bulletin board. Zombie-Charles is slumped in the corner, its crushed headcrab oozing blood.

Barnaby enters cautiously, keeping an eye on the dead (re-dead… dead again) zombie in the corner. Near the corpse, Gordon pries off the lock of the gun cabinet and starts looting it, donning a belt holster and loading it with ammo clips and a couple handguns.

**DR. BARNABY**

"I brought your, uh…" [offers the fire extinguisher]

Gordon glances up.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Good. You keep that. If something comes up and tries to grab you, spray it in the face. I think the CO2 messes with them."

Barnaby frowns, but ultimately keeps the extinguisher.

**DR. BARNABY**

"Do you have any theories?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"About what?"

Barnaby nods at Zombie-Charles. Gordon follows his gaze. He regards the corpse for a few seconds before returning to his task.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Offhand, I'd say the crab on his head is some sort of cerebral parasite. I've seen a couple of these so far, but I haven't been able to determine how or why they work like that. Maybe if I got a chance to pry one free I'd get a better idea, but there's no equipment for a proper dissection down here."

He takes an assault rifle and checks it over: making sure the barrel is clear, etc. He seems to know what he is doing. Barnaby watches, feeling like he is missing something.

**DR. BARNABY**

"Dr. Freeman… what was your doctorate in, again?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Theoretical physics… why?"

**DR. BARNABY**

"You certainly seem to know your way around a gun, is all I'm saying."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Well, it's amazing how much information you can find about anything on the Internet."

There is a slightly frightened pause as Gordon, satisfied that the gun is in good condition, begins loading it.

**DR. BARNABY**

"The… Inter…?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"I'm kidding. It was part of my Hazard certification in Anomalous Materials. I got top marks on the Weapons section."

He chambers a round.

**DR. BARNABY**

"I really wish you would take this a bit more seriously!"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Sorry. But, hey – the military's on its way, and before you know it everyone will be safely out of here and this whole thing will blow over. You'll see."

He offers Barnaby a handgun, butt first, but Barnaby declines it with a wave of his hand. Gordon shrugs and stows it. As he shuts the gun cabinet:

**DR. BARNABY**

"By the way, you've got yellow bodily fluids splattered on you."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Where?"

**DR. BARNABY**

[beat] "Everywhere."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Oh. Yeah."

Gordon makes a token effort to wipe away the alien blood from his visor as they leave the security office.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"At least they don't bleed concentrated molecular acid. I'd be in trouble then. Now, I need you to stick close to the others in the cube farm – you can have one of them tell you what I said about not wandering off alone while you were wandering off alone. Okay?"

**DR. BARNABY**

[sigh] "All right."

They reach the offices, and Barnaby heads in.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Now barricade the door. You don't want anything sneaking in."

**DR. BARNABY**

[nods] "You know how to get to the surface from here?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"I remember the newbie tour from my internship. The elevators are still shut down, and the fire stairs don't open from the inside unless the alarm is tripped, so..." [pauses, remembering] "Main stairs are down the south hallway… then take those all the way up to Level 1…"

**DR. BARNABY**

"And then you follow the long hallway to your left, and take the second right. There should be a sign directing you to Sector D and the main facility entrance. With any luck, the military should be arriving about the same time you do."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Okay. I got it."

He turns to go.

**DR. BARNABY**

"Dr. Freeman?"

Gordon glances back.

**DR. BARNABY**, cont'd.

"I have to tell you, you've demonstrated exemplary leadership qualities, considering the crisis. I've never seen such a level head on someone so young. If you keep this up, I predict you'll really go places."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Thank you, sir. I just hope we survive all this."

**DR. BARNABY**

"Me too."

Gordon heads off.

INT – BLACK MESA – CONTROL ROOM

Dr. Keller sits in his wheelchair at a control panel – a different location than the earlier control room. This room is much bigger and less intensely lit than the control room by the anti-mass spectrometer. It is also relatively OSHA compliant, with a wheelchair ramp leading up to each of two exits in addition to the stairs. Dr. Cross stands near him, peering over his shoulder at the readout, and Dr. Green is investigating a crate at the end of the counter, with a Black Mesa logo and MILITARY SUPPLIES stenciled on the side.

**DR. KELLER**

"As you can see here, the rift between Earth and the borderworld is widening. I can't figure out why, though – our best bet will be to reset the dampening fields. I'm not sure if this place will survive another resonance cascade."

Green pries open the crate with a crowbar, to reveal hand grenades nestled within. She brightens.

**DR. CROSS**

[pointing to a monitor displaying a map of the complex] "We can go through the plaza here to get to the dampener controls."

**DR. KELLER**

"Before you leave, though, I want to make sure to synch your radios to mine, so I can guide you."

As he types, Dr. Green straightens up, holding a couple grenades in her hand.

**DR. GREEN**

"Look what I found. These should help us if we run into anything."

Keller gives her a sideways glance.

**DR. KELLER**

"Just don't bring the whole facility down on our heads, Colette."

**DR. GREEN**

"I'll be careful."

Keller finishes typing as Green and Cross equip themselves with grenades.

**DR. KELLER**

"There – that should do it."  
[he picks up a microphone and speaks into it]  
"Testing, testing…"

His voice echoes in their headset radios.

**DR. CROSS**

"Loud and clear, sir."

**DR. GREEN**

"Same here."

**DR. KELLER**

"Good. Let me know when you get to the dampeners and I'll walk the two of you through it. Just be careful – you could run into anything down there."

They nod and head off through the door behind him.

INT – BLACK MESA – CORRIDORS

Cross and Green enter a short hallway ending in a broken glass door. Green smashes it and clears away the broken fragments, and they make their way through.

A couple of headcrab zombies, sensing their presence, turn in their shamblings and stagger towards them, bellowing raggedly, but get peppered with bullets. Green places a tight cluster of shots directly in the headcrab of one, and the zombie falls.

**DR. GREEN**

"Aim for the head! Saves bullets!"

Cross shifts her aim and squeezes off a couple more rounds. The second zombie falls.

They step over the fallen zombies and head around a bend. Up ahead is another set of double doors. They continue through into:

INT – BLACK MESA – PLAZA

They are on a walkway about halfway up a two-story-high plaza whose roof opens into a dome skylight. Below, on the ground floor, we see an elaborate fountain (not operational) surrounded by some artificial trees in planters. A couple of the trees have been tipped over and gnawed on. Some Vortigaunts are wandering around below as well, and presently one of them attacks one of the fake trees, shoving it over.

Up ahead, purple lightning crackles, culminating in extra-dimensional burst of energy as more Vorts beam in ahead of Cross and Green

They blast away at the Vorts, ducking behind columns to reload and to avoid their electrical blasts, which blow chunks of plaster and decorative tile from the columns, sometimes inches from the scientists.

When the threat has been eliminated, the echoes of gunfire fade to reveal a faint noise far above them continuing in the quiet. Green looks up, and points.

**DR. GREEN**

"Look!"

Dr. Cross looks, and her expression turns to relief and excitement as she spots the military transports passing by overhead, visible through the skylight.

**DR. CROSS**

"The military's almost here! Thank God!"

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"That's good to hear. Hopefully once we get this contained they'll be able to give us a lift out of here."

**DR. CROSS**

"It shouldn't take us too long. Come on, Colette."

She tugs at Green's elbow, and the two continue through a half-raised door and into a glass-lined corridor.

INT – BLACK MESA – GLASS CORRIDOR

A couple of Vortigaunts are already in the corridor and they turn as Green and Cross enter. One of the Vorts starts to fire up its electricity attack, but Cross shoots it. The other one charges, swiping at Cross. It manages to grab her, and opens its mouth to bite—

Cross quick-draws a handgun and sticks the barrel in its mouth. It has one second to comprehend what is about to happen before Cross blows its brains out. Green pries off the dead alien, and they step over the bodies on their way to the next door.

INT- BLACK MESA – OFFICE

The door opens onto a walkway around the upper level of this office area. From the walkway, a steep set of metal steps leads down to the lower floor, which is dotted with desks and mainframes. The corpses of technicians and scientists are sprawled here and there, and there is a door at the far end of the room, labeled TECHNICIANS ONLY and sealed with an electronic lock. The walkway is currently occupied by a huge hulking alien creature, at least nine feet tall, similar in overall theme to the Vortigaunts, but this one is covered by armored plates; one hand is a huge pincer, while the other is occupied by a writhing biomechanical gauntlet of some sort that emits a dull buzzing noise. As they enter, this ALIEN GRUNT turns and fires a cluster of what appear at first to be tracer rounds from the gauntlet, which emit a high-pitched, angry buzz. The rounds home in on the two scientists, who quickly realize that the rounds are not just intelligent – they are alive!

The alien insects, resembling shiny metallic hornets, swarm around them, causing a few frantic moments before they manage to duck back through the door.

INT – BLACK MESA – GLASS CORRIDOR

They stomp on the few stragglers that have managed to follow them through. The hornet-rounds clatter against the door as Cross and Green exchange a glance.

**DR. CROSS**

"Alright – any ideas about what that was?"

**DR. GREEN**

[considers] "That was a bee gun. And that… thing is standing between us and the dampener reset controls."

**DR. CROSS**

"I don't like our odds against that thing. It was pretty heavily armored. I'm open to ideas."

There are a few moments of thoughtful silence.

**DR. GREEN**

"You know, my dad always had a fairly elegant method of getting rid of beehives…"

She takes a grenade from her belt and pulls the pin.

INT – BLACK MESA – OFFICE

Green opens the office door again and whistles sharply at the grunt.

**DR. GREEN**

"Hey! Elephant man! Catch!"

She lobs the grenade at the grunt, its clip falling free. It reflexively catches the grenade in its pincer. Green ducks back, shutting the door between herself and the imminent explosion.

The grunt has only a few seconds to comprehend how hosed it is before—

INT – BLACK MESA – GLASS CORRIDOR

The door jumps under the shock wave of the explosion in the next room, and the two reflexively shield their faces as the safety glass lining the corridor rattles but does not shatter. Immediately after the main explosion, we hear a heavy double impact (as the grunt is knocked back against the wall and falls to the ground).

**DR. CROSS**

"Elegant solution, huh?"

**DR. GREEN**

"My dad preferred dynamite. Come on."

She opens the door and both scientists peer through.

INT – BLACK MESA – OFFICE

The grunt is laying face-down on the walkway, looking quite damaged and possibly dead. The hive-hand makes no noise. In the wall above and behind the corpse, there is a large dent where the creature hit.

**DR. CROSS**

"That works."

They head in and hurry down the stairs to the main floor, picking their way between the desks and over bodies to the far door. They key open the door and head through.

INT – BLACK MESA – DAMPENER CONTROL ROOM

The two enter, looking around cautiously. Around them, machinery hums, indicating the amount of power that the dampening fields require for effective functioning. Lights and indicators (a distressing number of which are red) blink on panels up ahead, and a ladder leads up to a catwalk above them, granting access to a further rank of machinery.

**DR. CROSS**

[into radio] 'Dr. Keller, we're in."

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"Good. I'm glad you made it. Any technicians alive in there?"

**DR. GREEN**

"I don't see anyone, dead or alive."

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"Okay. Do we have power to the dampening fields?"

**DR. CROSS**

"Looks like it… but everything's offline."

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"Okay, you'll need to reset the main controllers, then the auxiliary controllers. Ahead and to your right you should see those panels, marked Main Control and Aux Control."

**DR. CROSS**

"I see them."

Green hears movement above and glances up, but sees nothing definitive. She readies a handgun.

**DR. GREEN**

[aside to Cross] "We might have company. I'll watch your back while you do that."

Cross nods. She scans the rows of buttons, switches, and indicators until she finds a yellow button marked MAIN RESET, next to a mollyguard shielding a red button marked EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN.

**DR. CROSS**

"Resetting the main controllers… now."

She pushes the yellow Reset button, holding it down for a few seconds. Most of the lights on the main panel go out, but when she releases the button they come back on, flashing in a startup sequence before returning to a happier-looking default pattern of greens and blues.

**DR. CROSS**

"… and we're back."

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"Good. Listen, I'm picking up an increasing amount of dimensional energy building up in your location. It could just be some residual fluctuation from the cascade, but be careful."

**DR. CROSS**

"All right. Getting ready to reset the auxiliary controllers."

She moves over to the Aux control panel and locates the Reset button.

**DR. CROSS**

"Resetting the auxiliary controllers… now."

She pushes the reset button – and as she does, several Vortigaunts beam into the room nearby.

**DR. GREEN**

"We got company!"

She steps over to cover Dr. Cross as the Vortigaunts advance, their goal apparently the control consoles. Green fires at them; her initial aim is to scare them off, and at first they are driven back – but then sigils on their collars and cuffs flash blue, causing them to jerk in pain, and they surge forward again. Green opens fire, felling them a handful at a time.

Behind her, Cross releases the rest button, and the auxiliary controllers go through their startup sequence as before, before settling back to their default state.

**DR. CROSS**

"We're back up!"

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"Great – now get those dampeners back online, fast!"

Cross is now free to add her own firepower to Green's, and she blasts away with her own rifle in short bursts, clearing them away from the ladder to the second tier, with the handful of remaining Vortigaunts in hot pursuit, the sigils in their collars and cuffs glowing cold blue, then red.

Cross climbs backwards, trying to drive off their pursuers with gunfire. By the time they reach the top, all but one have fallen, and Cross kicks this last one in the teeth as it tries to grab her leg.

**DR. CROSS**

"Things are getting pretty hot in here, sir!"

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"I can tell – there's a lot of energy focused on your location right now. It's almost like it's being aimed, or some such. The dampening fields should block it off once they're up."

Green heads over to one of two cranks and begins to turn it. As she does so, a score of Vortigaunts are beamed in on the lower level. They start swarming the ladder.

**DR. CROSS**

"Oh, crap."

**DR. GREEN**

"I don't like to hear stuff like that behind me, Gina."

**DR. CROSS**

"Just get those dampeners online, whatever else happens! I'll cover you!"

She ejects a spent magazine and reloads quickly before opening fire on the incoming swarm. Vortigaunts bellow and fall, only to have their companions climb over their dead bodies.

**DR. CROSS**

"Progress report!"

The crank stops turning with a satisfying clunk.

**DR. GREEN**

"Dampening field one is on line!"

**DR. CROSS**

"Keep going!"

Green turns to head for the second crank, and yet another Grunt beams in, not seven feet in front of her, just beyond the crank. The catwalk shakes as it lands.

**DR. GREEN**

"You have _got_ to be kidding me…"

She unshoulders her own assault rifle and opens fire on the hulking creature. Bullets spark off its armor until she finds the sweet spot at its abdomen. It roars in pain, but lunges forward. Green dodges back and continues firing as though her life depended on it – which it does – until the thing finally stumbles and falls. Green steps up and puts two final rounds into the back of its head. She looks a bit shaken, but she puts away her gun, steps over the fallen hulk, and steps up to the second crank and begins turning it.

**DR. CROSS**

"You okay?"

**DR. GREEN**

"Yeah. I think so. Keep an eye out."

**DR. CROSS**

"How are we doing, Dr. Keller?"

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"Good. Everything's going fine. The dampening shields are just about… hang on. Why is that…?"

**DR. CROSS**

"What's wrong?"

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"The energy I've been seeing should be diminishing – but if anything, it's getting stronger – wait—"

Alarms start to blare.

**DR. KELLER**, radio, continued

"We're getting a power surge! Get away from the controls!"

Cross and Green jump back as sparks jump from the machinery.

**DR. CROSS**

"What's going on?"

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"There's a massive power spike going into our systems – I need to shut down the dampening fields before they overload. Watch out!"

Further sparks fly as internal components are reduced to toasty silicon. Cross and Green instinctively shield their faces.

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"I think I've just about—there."

The machinery powers down without further damage.

**DR. GREEN**

"With all due respect, sir, what the hell was that?"

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"It was like something was deliberately interfering with the machinery. I'm not particularly paranoid, but it looks like some… intelligence doesn't want the rift closed. And considering the increasing numbers of armed borderworld life-forms coming through, I'm starting to think this isn't some freak accident. Ladies, I think we're under alien invasion."

Cross and Green exchange a concerned glance.

**DR. CROSS**

"Alien invasion? But the chances of that are—"

**DR. KELLER**, radio

"I know – I _know_! I don't like the sound of it any more than you do, but I have to go by the facts I have in front of me. So far, that's the best explanation I can come up with." [beat] "I don't think the two of you are safe where you are. There should be a door on the second level of that control room. It'll take you to one of the maintenance platforms for the tram. I'll see if I can get the tram up and running so I can get you away from there." [sighs] "I just need some time to figure out what our options are."

Exeunt Cross and Green via the door to the tram platform.

EXT – AIRSPACE OVER BLACK MESA

The portions of the research facility that are visible aboveground come onto view as an Osprey swoops in, intending to land. We see a large tarmac come into view outside the facility's entrance, with six helipads, one occupied by a black military helicopter, and three others occupied by tan personnel transports of a similar type to the oncoming Osprey. Even from this altitude, we see ground combat being engaged between military forces and alien creatures. Things appear to be going to hell already.

INT – OSPREY – AIRSPACE OVER BLACK MESA

The Osprey is loaded with two dozen Marines, including Shepherd and Cooke. The soldiers are chattering excitedly about the upcoming mission.

**PILOT**, background

"Coming up on Black Mesa. Estimated ETA five minutes… Roger that. Everything normal… wait. Got something on the radar here… what is that? Whatever it is, it's huge…"

Their commanding officer, whose shoulder insignia identifies him as a sergeant and whose name plate identifies him as SANDERS, glances ahead and, seeing that they are close to their destination, reaches into an inside pocket and takes out one of the envelopes that Burke was handling earlier.

**SGT. SANDERS**

"Attention!" [The chattering quiets] "Before we land, I need to give you your final orders. Now listen up!"

He goes to break the seal on the envelope, but never says another word – because at that moment the Osprey rocks and shudders, and a beam of yellow-white energy scythes through the body of the chopper from above. One of the wings is sheared off, and its propellers chop into the body of the craft, bisecting Sanders; the soldiers brace as the Osprey pinwheels out of control. Alarms sound. Engines scream in protest. Through the broken window of the chopper's door we see the ground spin closer and closer until the Osprey crashes, jolting its passengers out of their seats.

EXT – BLACK MESA – TARMAC

Shepherd is still alive, but knocked senseless. He manages to force his eyes open briefly, glancing at the burning envelope; we do not see the contents before it is consumed. Around him, we hear combat erupt as the Osprey is swarmed. Cooke drags Shepherd free of the burning transport while others lay down cover fire. Cooke stows him behind some debris and joins the battle. Nearby we see other injured soldiers dragging themselves out of the fray, or huddling behind cover – one of them is pounced on by a headcrab, and he screams and struggles, trying to pry the thing free. The Marines have been trained for hazardous environments – but nothing could prepare them for this.

Shepherd's senses clear in time for him to see a ball of energy whistle towards his shelter, and he dives aside before it is obliterated, showering him with debris and shrapnel. He crawls painfully towards the shelter of a door leading into Black Mesa, desperate to survive; one of his legs appears to be broken. Presently, one of his comrades-in-arms rushes over to help, supporting him as they make a beeline for the doorway.

As they reach the doorway something whirrs past just above the frame, and Shep's aid suddenly stops walking. A few seconds later, the man's severed head drops to the tarmac near Shepherd, followed by the collapsing body. Shep drags himself into the shelter of the doorway, trying to maintain consciousness as the world spins around him. He is dizzy and disoriented, and can't quite focus on the headcrab now stalking him.

Presently the door he is leaning against slides open, and the headcrab explodes, having been shot with an assault rifle.

**DR. KLEINER**

"Come on, young man. It's not safe out here."

The only impression we get of Shep's rescuer is lab coat and rifle hanging from a strap on his shoulder. He sounds like a kindly, older man. Kleiner grabs Shep under the shoulders and pulls him inside to safety. More on Kleiner later.

INT – BLACK MESA – SECTOR D

Gordon mounts the stairs two at a time, trying to rendezvous with the military as soon as possible. He pauses as an announcement is made over the loudspeakers.

**ANNOUNCEMENT**

"This facility is now under military control. All employees report to Sector D for debriefing and first aid. Repeat, this facility is now under military control…"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Music to my ears."

He continues on, passing by a lab-coated body sprawled facedown on the steps. At the back of its head we get a glimpse of an exit wound about the size of an orange.

Ahead, we hear the chattering of automatic gunfire, and the roars and bellows of alien creatures, and the cries of help from the trapped Black Mesa employees. Gordon stumbles slightly over the corpse of another scientist, this one riddled with bullet holes. He frowns in puzzlement, but thinks nothing sinister of it – after all, this is a warzone.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[thoughtful] "Must have been caught in the crossfire."

He continues on, rounding a corner to see a Houndeye feasting on the corpse of a soldier. He shoots at it, and it yips and bounds away. Beyond this, he catches sight of an office up ahead, at the far side of a four-way junction currently populated with military personnel. He continues forward, with hope in his eyes.

Gordon brightens as he sees a military uniform and rifle through the observation window. He raises his hand and opens his mouth to call to them…

… but his greeting dies on his lips, turning to ashes in his mouth as he takes in the truth of the situation.

The soldier is standing behind a scientist, who is on his knees with his hands clasped behind his head in a classic execution pose, with the soldier's rifle pointed at the back of his head. As Gordon watches…

**SOLDIER**

"What do you know about Lambda Core?"

**SCIENTIST**

"Nothing! I-I don't know anything about Lambda Core! I don't even know what they do in there!"

**SOLDIER**

"Useless old man..."

Gordon ducks back around the corner a split second before the soldier glances in his direction. He looks badly shaken.

Satisfied that no one is there, the soldier returns his attention to his captive, chambering a round, thereby producing the single scariest sound you can hear at the back of your head.

Gordon jumps slightly as he hears the gunshot, followed by a body falling to the floor. He has the look of a man who has just realized that the light at the end of the tunnel is, in fact, an oncoming train. In the background, the sounds of gunfire and the screams of Black Mesa personnel take on a decidedly sinister bent.

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN)**

"I am detecting a sharp increase in heart rate and adrenaline levels, Dr. Freeman. Would you like a mild sedative?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[whispering, on the edge of panic] "No. No no no no no no. That's the last thing I need right now. Oh God. Oh God. I don't need this. I don't need this right now. What the hell are they doing? They're killing the scientists. Why are they killing the scientists?" [Beat. Sickening realization.] "They're silencing witnesses. This is a cleanup mission. Oh God…" [into radio] "Cross. Green. You there? Please, answer me!"

**DR. CROSS**, radio

"We read you. What's up? You sound spooked."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"We've, uh, got a bit of a problem."

**DR. CROSS**

"We've got some bad news down here, too, Dr. Freeman."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Oh, I think mine is worse than yours. The military's here."

**DR. GREEN**

[puzzled] "But that's good, right?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Only if it was a rescue mission. They're killing everyone – aliens and employees alike. They're trying to sweep this whole thing under the rug."

**DR. GREEN**, radio

"Oh my God – are you sure?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"As sure as I am that the boiling point of radium is 2010 degrees Kelvin."

**DR. CROSS**

"What are you going to do?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"I guess I'll do what scientists do – find some answers." [beat] "So, what's your bad news?"

**DR. GREEN**

"We don't think the resonance cascade was a freak accident. It's starting to look like it was orchestrated."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Orchestrated? By whom? How the hell do you plan something like this?"

**DR. GREEN**

"We don't know yet – but something's keeping the rift open, and they're sending what look like actual troops through. This is an alien invasion."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"…Crap. This has to be the worst first day at work _ever_."

**DR. CROSS**

"We'll see what we can find out at our end. Hopefully we'll be able to stop this."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"We have to – otherwise we're all boned. Stay safe down there, and keep me posted, okay?"

**DR. CROSS**

"We will. Cross and Green out."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Freeman out."

He takes a few more moments to gather his wits, waiting until his hands stop shaking. Once the tremors fade, he clenches his fists, a look of fresh determination on his face. He un-shoulders his assault rifle and heads off down the corridor at a jog.

* * *

Author's note: I looked up the boiling point of radium specifically so Gordon could have his "God what a nerd" moment up there. I also did a bit of research on the military stuff like ranks and the Osprey, so if I get anything wrong let me know. Looks like things are going to get really interesting near the surface.

Next up: Barney's still alive?! And, we finally meet Gordon's mentor, Dr. Kleiner!


	6. Rise and Shine

Disclaimer: The song "Skullcrusher Mountain" is the property of Jonathan Coulton, an awesome musician and filker.

* * *

INT – BLACK MESA – SECTOR 6 - ELEVATOR

Inside the wrecked elevator car we see three people lying on the floor – Barney and the two scientists. By some miracle, Barney's helmet is still intact, and may have partially saved his life. The contents of Barney's toolbox are scattered across the floor of the elevator. We hear meaty chewing sounds nearby. Barney stirs with a groan of pain. He sits up, clutching his head and grimacing.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Shoulda taken the stairs…"

The chewing noises pause warily, but continue after a few seconds. Barney, alerted by the brief silence, glances around at his companions. He checks each one's pulse at the neck; both are dead. He sees a crowbar among the scattered tools, and picks it up, tucking it into his belt before peeking past the elevator door, which is partially open and has been knocked crooked by the impact with the bottom of the shaft.

We see some human remains; by the dark blue uniform he used to be a security guard. Three houndeyes are clustered around, snacking on the body. They appear to be social creatures, chatting amongst themselves with barks and yips. Beyond them we see we are in some sort of storage area; crates and boxes are stacked everywhere.

Barney makes a face at the gruesome scene. He unholsters his sidearm.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Alright, you little bastards… you like munching on guards? EAT THIS!"

He opens fire, killing one of them almost immediately. The other two turn, their compound eyes turning scarlet as they emit a high-pitched howl.

Veins stand out alarmingly on Barney's face and neck as the harmonics hit him. He gives a primal roar of pain and determination and continues convulsively squeezing the trigger.

He takes down the other two houndeyes within seconds of each other, but he still fires and fires until the corpses are mangled and the gun clicks dry about half a dozen times. Only then can he force himself to stop, taking a few moments to regain his equilibrium and catch his breath. He is shaking, his eyes are bloodshot, and he becomes aware that his nose is bleeding. He sniffs and wipes his nose on the back of his hand.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

[to nobody in particular] "Okay, just what the hell is going on?!"

He exits the elevator and enters…

INT – BLACK MESA – SECTOR 6 – STORAGE ROOM

Barney marches up to the corpses, riding the wave of adrenaline.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

[to the dead houndeyes] "I swear to God, if I see any more of you guys today, I'll…" [points his empty gun at one of them, realizes it's empty. Beat.] "I'll, uh, reload forcefully at him, and then I'll blow his goddamn head off! Um. Lack of head."

He walks up to the corpse that the houndeyes had been eating, and crouches beside it. The head is virtually obliterated, looking as though it had exploded from within, a grisly clue of what the houndeyes' howling is capable of. The half a face remaining looks startled, as though he had no time to react. Barney glances at the nametag on the guard's armored vest: MACKENZIE. He winces, recognizing the name.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"MacKenzie, huh? Tough break, man. Well… forgive me for the looting" [he makes a face as he starts rummaging in the bloody uniform for ammo clips] "but I think I'm gonna need these."

He stows the clips on his own belt and straightens up, looking at one of the alien corpses.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Hey Mac… this one's for you."

He punts the dead houndeye as hard as he can, clearly going for distance. He pauses to take in the situation as he reloads, and then takes his walkie-talkie from his belt.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Elven Ranger to Dungeon Master, come in." [He pauses, listening, but only hears dead air. He tries again:] "Elven Ranger to Dungeon Master, come in." [He listens again; no response.] "Wilson? ...Taft? …Adams?" [Pauses, listening.] "Come on, guys, this isn't funny." [No response.] "Listen; there's been a critical elevator failure in Sector 6. Yeah. I was in the elevator – that's why I haven't checked in for…" [He glances at his watch, but sees the face is smashed.] "… well, probably a while now. I got a bit of a situation here… Mac's dead. I found him getting chewed on by… God, I don't know what the hell they were. Monsters of some sort. Yeah – I shit you not. We got grues or something. We need to have some words with the genetic research department." [He pauses, listening, hoping for any kind of response. He glances around, trying to make out any dangers in the darkness.] "This is starting to freak me out, you guys." [The open line seems to be mocking him now.] "Look, I'm gonna make my way back to the surface. If you wanna chew me out then, go ahead."

He puts the walkie-talkie back on his belt and heads deeper into the storage room. He keeps his gun ready as he pulls a flashlight from his belt and turns it on to illuminate his path, his eyes and ears straining for any signs of danger. Nervously, he starts to sing under his breath. Yeah. He's one of those.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

[off-key] "Welcome to my secret lair on Skullcrusher Mountain… I hope that you've enjoyed your stay so far, I see you've met my assistant Scarface—"

He reacts as a headcrab screeches and hops onto a nearby crate. He fires at it by pure reflex, and it pops like a grape. More headcrabs screech nearby – he glances around and sees at least half a dozen of them hop and crawl into view. Barney backs away, firing at the alien parasites. One of them leaps at him, and he shoots it out of midair. When he sees no more headcrabs:

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Okay. We got a tick problem."

He sweeps the flashlight behind him and sees a door. He sidles warily towards it, keeping an eye out for further danger. The flashlight beam makes the surrounding darkness seem even deeper, making it hard for even the audience to make out anything around him.

He reaches the door, which opens at a touch; the electronic lock is not functioning. The door leads to:

INT – BLACK MESA – BASEMENT OFFICES

Barney glances around this new room, which is smaller than the storage room and contains perhaps half a dozen desks. In the far corner to the right, an access ladder leads up into a ventilation duct, and in far wall, a door leads out into a corridor. The wall on the far left has cracked during the resonance cascade, and through the rift a noxious green fluid has leaked in, covering most of the floor; paper and assorted pens and pencils float in the drink. It reeks. Barney coughs, makes a face, and covers his nose and mouth with his sleeve.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Man, OSHA would love this…" [He looks at the liquid, and decides he doesn't like his prospects of not getting some horrible disease from it.] "Not going through there." [He spots the ladder.] "Hm. Time to pull a Freeman, I guess…"

He climbs up onto the nearest desk and makes his way to the ladder, hopping from desk to desk. Papers scatter as he lands, and at one point he skids on paperwork and nearly tumbles off.

Finally he makes it to the corner, but the ladder is still about three feet away. He glances doubtfully down into the green ick. He will have to jump. He crouches, estimating the distance, and leaps…

He grabs onto the ladder in midair, his feet momentarily scrambling for purchase but finding footholds before his weight settles. He takes a moment to reorient himself before climbing the ladder into…

INT – BLACK MESA – VENTILATION DUCTS

Barney pokes his head into the airways, which appear to have been built with human maintenance in mind; this stretch, at least, is large enough for a man to crouch comfortably in, and a vertical shaft leading up in the distance has ladder rungs set in the shaft wall. Barney glances around before pulling himself inside.

There is a startled noise somewhere behind him; it sounds like someone who was not expecting company and is currently hoping not to die. Barney glances in that direction.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Hello?"

**DR. PIERCE**

[terrified] "Wh-who's there?"

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"It's Calhoun. I'm with security. Hold on – let me get to you."

Barney crouch-walks in the shaft, making his way up a slope (lined with skid-guards) and finally rounds a corner to find another scientist huddled there, the owner of the voice. He sags with relief when he sees Barney.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Hey. What's your name?"

**DR. PIERCE**

"Oh, thank God! I thought you were one of them! I'm Dr. Pierce from Sector G. Oh, everything's been going so badly!"

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Wait--One of who? What's been happening?"

**DR. PIERCE**

[incredulous] "Haven't you heard? There was some sort of freak accident with the antimass spectrometer! They called the military for help but… but everybody's getting killed up there!"

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Ah, man. That sucks. Wait – antimass spectrometer? That's Anomalous Materials, right?" [Pierce nods.] "A buddy of mine works down there, name of Freeman – maybe you've seen him? About six-two, dark hair, glasses, goatee?"

**DR. PIERCE**

"As a matter of fact, I have seen him! Up near the surface – he was the one who rescued a couple of us. He had us hide in the vents, but I'm afraid I've lost track of the others."

Barney is delighted and relieved at the news of Gordon's continued survival.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Do you know where he was headed next?"

**DR. PIERCE**

"The surface, I believe. He said he was going to find some answers, but it's too dangerous up there for someone like me."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Okay – what's the best way out of here?"

**DR. PIERCE**

"Half of the corridors are caved in – you'll need to go through the canals if you want to get to the surface. If it's all the same to you, I'm staying right here."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Fair enough. Just sit tight – I'll see if I find a way out of here."

**DR. PIERCE**

"Do you think Dr. Freeman will be all right?"

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Oh, yeah. Gordo can take care of himself, no problem. You should see the man play paintball."

INT – BLACK MESA – SECTOR D

We see a Marine guarding a locked office; his name tag identifies him as FLETCHER. Inside the office we see a scientist fidgeting in the corner, looking very scared and uncertain of his future.

The scientist hears something strange above him…

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN)**

[very faint] "Heavy lifting module initialized."

… and glances up as a vent cover swings open on its hinges. Shimmery, semi-transparent arms reach down, grab him by the labels of his lab coat, and haul him bodily into the vent shaft. The scientist gives an alarmed cry as he is lifted into the ceiling, alerting Fletcher.

Fletcher turns, peering through the window into the suddenly empty room, and reacts with surprise at his prisoner's absence. He unlocks the door and looks briefly around the room for the prisoner; he spots the open vent cover and stands underneath to investigate it. He only sees a shimmering outline of someone crouched inside before a heavy paperweight drops onto his forehead from above, stunning him. The paperweight bounces to the floor, revealing that it is emblazoned with the Black Mesa logo and its motto: "Working to Build a Better Tomorrow for All Mankind."

A humanoid shape drops out of the vent onto Fletcher, bearing him to the floor. As they land, the figure comes out of stealth mode to reveal Gordon, who kneels on top of Fletcher to pin him, aiming a handgun at his face. Fletcher starts to struggle.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Easy. Easy. Easy. I don't want to hurt you. I just need some answers."

Gordon reaches down and divests Fletcher of any immediate weapons, including a handgun and a hunting knife. He tosses these away and out of immediate reach before returning his attention to Fletcher.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Look. I've been having a really lousy day today. I just have a few questions, and once they're answered, we can both go on our merry way. Okay?"

**CPL FLETCHER**

[guarded] "What do you want to know?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"You responded to a distress signal from Black Mesa. This was supposed to be a rescue mission. Right? So what the hell happened?"

**CPL FLETCHER**

"New orders."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"From whom?"

**CPL FLETCHER**

"I'm not authorized to say."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"From whom?!"

**CPL FLETCHER**

"That's classified."

INT – BLACK MESA – MILITARY COMMAND CENTER

We see a handful of officers observing the action through a series of monitors via the Marines' helmet-mounted cameras. One of them sees, through Fletcher's camera, the shaky footage of Gordon pinning the associated Marine.

**OFFICER #1**

"Hey – who's that? What's he doing to Fletcher?"

**OFFICER #2**

"I don't know – can we record that?"

**OFFICER #1**

[into a microphone] "Fletcher! What's going on?"

A technician hits a few keys, and we see the word "RECORDING" appear on the appropriate monitor.

INT – BLACK MESA – SECTOR D

Fletcher's radio coughs static. Gordon grabs it and transfers it to his own belt.

**OFFICER #1**, radio

"Fletcher! Do you read?"

Gordon fires a round into the floor near Fletcher's head. Fletcher flinches, as much from the noise as the impact.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[pissed] "From whom?!"

**CPL FLETCHER**

[rattled] "I don't know! Some guy in a blue suit! Creepy-looking bastard."

Gordon pauses, remembering. We see a flashback to outside Dr. Vance's office, when Vance was arguing with the G-Man, the likeliest candidate for Fletcher's creepy-looking bastard. He sits back on his heels, thinking hard. Fletcher cautiously watches him. After a beat, Gordon spies a wrapped granola bar tucked into a pocket of Fletcher's flak vest. He realizes that he hasn't had anything to eat since breakfast, about six hours ago.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Okay. I just need one more thing from you."

**CPL FLETCHER**

"What?"

Gordon plucks the granola bar from Fletcher's vest pocket.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"This."

He straightens up.

**CPL FLETCHER**

[confused] "Most people would take a prisoner's weapons."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"No. You're going to need them around here. On your feet, soldier."

Gordon still has the handgun trained on Fletcher. Fletcher cautiously gets up.

**GORDON FREEMAN**, cont'd.

"Now face into the corner. Hands behind your head. Don't turn around if you know what's good for you."

Fletcher, doubtful of Gordon's sanity, does as he is told. Gordon heads for the office door.

**CPL FLETCHER**

"Who the hell are you?"

Gordon pauses.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[grimly] "I'm your worst nightmare – a PhD with an assault rifle."

He leaves, shutting the door behind him.

After perhaps fifteen seconds of silence, Fletcher chances a peek over his shoulder. When he doesn't see his attacker, he retrieves his weapons and opens the door to check the hallway.

Gordon is gone.

Fletcher retrieves his weapons, briefly casts about for his radio, but then realizes what must have become of it – his attacker took it.

**CPL FLETCHER**

"Son of a bitch."

He heads out into the hallway and snags a fellow Marine.

**CPL FLETCHER**

"Fisher! I need to borrow your radio."

**CPL FISHER**

"What happened to yours? And you're supposed to be guarding one of the geeks."

**CPL FLETCHER**

"I know – he's gone. There's some guy in here with us. He must have taken the lab coat. He got my radio."

**CPL FISHER**

"'Some guy'? Who the hell are you talking about?"

**CPL FLETCHER**

"He's Batman, for all I know. He's suited up in some sort of powered body armor. I've never seen anything like it."

**CPL FISHER**

"Okay. Here." [hands over his radio] "The brass is gonna be pissed."

Fletcher takes the radio and switches it on.

INT – BLACK MESA – SECTOR D – ELSEWHERE

Gordon crouches in an out-of-the-way nook, the stealth function on his suit making him little more than a shimmery haze in the shadows. He watches the Marines, studying their movement patterns, while listening to the chatter over the radio. We hear a familiar voice:

**CPL FLETCHER**, radio

"We've got a problem, sir."

**OFFICER #1**, radio

"We saw. Are you injured?"

**CPL FLETCHER**, radio

"No, sir. My ear's still ringing a bit, but I'm okay. He left my weapons but took my radio. And a granola bar."

**OFFICER #2**, radio

"Who the hell leaves an enemy's weapons?"

**OFFICER #1**, radio

"Better question—who the hell mugs a Marine for a granola bar?"

Gordon thumbs his visor up and out of the way before he steadfastly unwraps the aforementioned granola bar and chows down hungrily.

**OFFICER #2**, radio

"We need to find out who this guy is, and what he knows."

**CPL FLETCHER**, radio

"I'm on it."

As Gordon shoves the last bite of granola in his mouth, the snack taking the edge off his hunger, he senses that he is being watched. Pulling the visor back down, he glances around until he spots…

… the G-Man, standing on a landing not far away. His blue suit is still pristine, his hair unruffled, and his mysterious suitcase without a scratch, in spite of the chaos around him. Nobody else seems to be paying any attention to him. He deliberately meets Gordon's gaze, offering a small, almost sinister smirk in response to Gordon's clear attack of the heebie-jeebies, before turning and heading up the stairs to the next level. There is something Very Important about that man, and Gordon decides he's going to find out what that is. But first…

Gordon straightens up, puts the radio back on his belt and, pulling his assault rifle, starts clearing a path through the Marines. He shoots to wound when he can, and he tries to aim clear of any Black Mesa scientists he sees. He advances, Terminator-like, as the Marines scramble to react and take shelter; they open fire on him as he breaks for the stairs. He ducks and dodges, returning fire as bullet-strikes cause blue energy-splashes to erupt on the surface of the Hazard suit.

**HAZARD SUIT (FREEMAN)**

"Power levels at 85%."

Gordon ducks behind a pillar to reload, ejecting the spent clip and slapping in a fresh one with practiced ease. There is a corpse nearby, a dead marine. Gordon investigates closer and finds on the corpse's belt a couple of M-84 stun grenades. He takes these and adds them to his arsenal. Once the return fire pauses (as the Marines in turn reload), Gordon bolts out from his hiding place, strafing across the remaining open space between him and the stairway. When he reaches the stairs he turns, pulls the pin on one of the stun grenades and lobs it behind the Marines' cover.

**MARINE #1**

"Grenade!!"

Gordon barrels up the stairs as the Marines dive for cover. It goes off with a deafening bang and a blinding flash of light.

By the time the soldiers' vision clears, Gordon is gone.

**MARINE #2**

"Who the hell was *that*?!"

A couple of the cowering scientists exchange a glance. They have recognized the Hazard suit, marking their savior as one of the Black Mesa locals.

**SCIENTIST #10**

[sotto] "I think that was Freeman!"

**SCIENTIST #11**

[sotto] "You mean Kleiner's intern from last year?"

**SCIENTIST #10**

[sotto] "The very same. I would wager my life on it."

**SCIENTIST #11**

[sotto] "We may have to. Kleiner may have a few unstable isotopes in his particle accelerator" [he traces a "he's crazy" circle around his ear with a finger to illustrate] "but he knows a great mind when he sees it."

They shut up as a Marine, made grouchy by this turn of events, heads over to them.

**MARINE #3**

"All right, you two, let's get moving."

He yanks them to their feet and marches them away.

Upstairs, Gordon is still pursuing the G-Man down a hallway. Presently, the G-Man closes a door between them and, looking directly at Gordon, locks it a split second before Gordon reaches it, so that he slams into it ineffectually.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"… Asshole."

The G-Man waves, smirks, and points behind Gordon. Gordon hears Marines approaching in pursuit. He must take evasive action. He chooses one of two remaining doors and pushes through it, deeper into the complex.

He hears a noise at roughly ankle level and instinctively aims a handgun at it. It proves to be a security guard's walkie-talkie, still clutched in its owner's severed hand (it appears to have been bitten off at mid-forearm, and we see that the wrist is still wearing a watch). The sound emanating from the radio sounds like beatboxing. Gordon thinks he recognizes the voice, but he can't be sure. He gingerly picks up the radio and ducks into a storage closet to evade his pursuers. He shuts the door after him, turning on his helmet-flashlight so he can see, and turns his attention to the radio. He gingerly pries the hand off it and pushes the Talk button.

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[uncertain] "… Barney?!"

The beatboxing stops.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**, radio

"Gordon?!"

**GORDON FREEMAN**

[relieved] "Yeah. Where have you been? Are you okay?"

**BARNEY CALHOUN**, radio

"Yeah, I'm good. Until recently, I've been at the bottom of an elevator shaft. Apparently something huge and bad happened in your department."

**GORDON FREEMAN**

"Yeah." [grimace] "Kind of. Where are you now?"

**BARNEY CALHOUN**, radio

"I'm in the canals, headed for the surface. I've been trying to get in touch with the rest of the guards. Usually somebody's told me to shut up by now."

INT – BLACK MESA – CANALS

Barney makes his way down a walkway in a concrete tunnel. Below him we see water flowing down the tunnel in the same direction he's headed. Ahead of him we see a reservoir where three other such tunnels conjoin. Set into the far wall a metal ladder leads up to a metal grating, through which distant sunlight is visible. Barney looks up and sees people walking about on the grating.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**, cont'd.

"Bingo. One ladder-climb to blue skies!"

**GORDON FREEMAN**, radio

"Be careful, Barney – the military got here about a half hour ago. Stay clear of them if you can."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Hey, I'm the conspiracy theorist around here, not you. I'll just hook up with any of the other security guards I can find and--"

Just then a large object tumbles down from above to land in the water with a large splash, soaking Barney.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Son of a…!"

**GORDON FREEMAN**, radio

"What is it? What happened?"

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Ah, nothing. The jarheads just dropped a bunch of garbage into…"

He trails off as he gets a better look at the projectile: It is a human body, clad in the dark blue uniform of a Black Mesa security guard. Barney pales as reality smacks him in the back of the head with a two-by-four.

**GORDON FREEMAN**, radio

"Barney? Are you still there?"

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Uh… yeah. They… just threw a body into the reservoir. A security guard."

Barney carefully reaches over and turns the floater onto its back. The corpse is riddled with bullet holes. Barney recognizes the face and reacts with horror.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**, cont'd.

"It's Wilson. They… they shot Wilson."

**GORDON FREEMAN**, radio

[groans] "I figured that. They've been killing the scientists, too."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"They're really not here to help us, are they?"

**GORDON FREEMAN**, radio

"No, I don't think they are."

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Dammit, I had a big weekend planned, too…"

Barney hears one of the Marines above him grousing as he and his partner return with another dead body between them:

**MARINE #4**

"Man, I can't believe they got us doing all the grunt work just because Shepherd's running late."

Barney dodges back as they dump the body in; another security guard. Barney is starting to feel very alone.

**BARNEY CALHOUN**

"Look, I gotta go. Catch you later."

**GORDON FREEMAN**, radio

"Be careful, man. Freeman out."

Barney switches off the walkie-talkie, and then watches and waits until the marines move off, before starting his long climb up the ladder.

INT – BLACK MESA – MAKESHIFT INFIRMARY

SHEPHERD'S POV

All is dark at first, but then the frame is filled with hazy red light. We hear someone administering CPR, currently performing chest compressions.

**DR. KLEINER**

"One… two… three… four… five."

Shepherd opens his eyes, and is immediately blinded by the overhead lights. He groans and raises a hand to shield his eyes. There is a spent medkit on the cot next to him. Someone has removed his boots and placed a splint on his broken leg, but strangely we do not see the swelling and bruising one would associate with a broken leg, especially one that has been subsequently walked on. He sits up painfully and manages to focus on a figure bent over a soldier, about to perform the next round of chest compressions. The man performing CPR is an older man in a stained lab coat, balding with a silver fringe of hair around the base of his skull, and wearing a pair of large coke-bottle glasses. Meet Dr. Isaac Kleiner.

Kleiner glances up.

**DR. KLEINER**

"Ah, Cpl. Shepherd, you're awake!" [off Shepherd's disoriented look] "I read the tag on your uniform. I'm Dr. Kleiner. I'm so glad you made it… it's more than I can say for some of your comrades, unfortunately."

He indicates the soldier he was treating. Sadly, he draws a blanket over the fallen soldier's face.

**DR. KLEINER**, cont'd

"How's your leg feeling?"

Shep sits up woth a groan, swinging his legs over the side of the cot. He frowns as he flexes the splinted leg.

**CPL SHEPHERD**

[surprised] "Can't complain."

**DR. KLEINER**

"Excellent! These medkits have been a lifesaver since this whole thing started. You had a bad fracture, you know, to the tibia and fibula of your right leg. Your boots are over there."

Shep stands up cautiously, gingerly putting weight on his damaged leg; it is fine, so he strips off the splint. As he pulls his boots on, he looks around at the bustling scientists, many of whom are helping treat the injured, who are mostly marines. A few of the occupied beds contain sheet-covered casualties.

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"Where am I?"

**DR. KLEINER**

"Technically, you're in the North Lab, but due to extenuating circumstances, we've had to convert some of the rooms into infirmaries. This is quite a mess, I don't mind saying. Your Osprey was taken down by one of the flying creatures – some of my colleagues have been calling them Manta Rays, due to their shape. I'm afraid that most of those who survived the crash were pinned down by hostile life forms outside."

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"What the hell's going on?"

**DR. KLEINER**

[cheerful] "We appear to be under a little bit of an alien invasion. It's been quite exciting, actually, seeing how some of the extra-terrestrial life-forms have adjusted to their new environment – come take a look!"

He takes Shep by the elbow and leads him to an observation window. In the room beyond we see a human corpse lying on the floor, near a small cage containing a headcrab.

**DR. KLEINER**

"We've decided to call these little creatures headcrabs. They're really quite adorable, I think. Just watch."

One of the scientists pushes a button on a nearby console, and the cage slides open. The headcrab ventures out, investigating its new environment before zeroing in on the nearby corpse. It hops over to it and fastens on, its beak gnawing through the top of the skull until it reaches the brain. The corpse starts to shudder as the creature adjusts its grip, digging in. The body arches back, its arms lengthening and its hands extending into claws, and the front of its chest cavity tears open with an inhuman bellow, into the chest-maw that we all know and hate.

Kleiner is fascinated by this whole process, while Shep looks a bit horrified, instinctively reaching for a handgun as the thing gets to its feet and staggers around.

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"What. The. Hell."

**DR. KLEINER**

"We've collected so much data from these extra-terrestrial life forms. The gentlemen in the Lambda Complex will be overjoyed."

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"Look – thanks for helping me, but I need to get in touch with the rest of my unit."

**DR. KLEINER**

"Oh, of course! I believe you'll find a military radio just down this way. Some of the other Marines set it up but were called away to another area. I do hope they're all okay."

As they head away from the observation window, we see behind them that the headcrab zombie seems to be getting agitated, and just before the door closes behind Shep and Kleiner, the zombie smashes through the window and grabs one of the observing scientists, pulling him in.

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"With all due respect, sir, we're Marines. We can handle damn near anything."

Kleiner shows Shep to a military radio, sitting in a corner near some shelves bearing assorted firearms and ammunition. Shep examines the guns, which appear a bit scraped up but useable. He selects a couple, along with suitable ammo clips.

**DR. KLEINER**

"Be that as it may, it's been getting quite dodgy in the rest of the complex. I must insist you not go off half-cocked."

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"Well, you seem to be pretty well stocked. I'll be okay."

**DR. KLEINER**

"Very well. I need to get back to the infirmary – we've been having parasite outbreaks in there recently. Good luck." [salutes him]

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"Thank you, sir." [returns the salute]

Kleiner heads back to the infirmary. Shep watches him leave, and only when he is gone does he sit in front of the military radio. He turns it on, noting the frequency it is tuned to, and picks up the microphone.

**CPL SHEPHERD**

"This is Corporal Shepherd, do you read? Repeat, this is Corporal Adrian Shepherd, is anybody there?"

He hears indistinct noises under the interference – sounds of gunfire and shouting. He adjusts the frequency on the radio, preparing to try again.

INT – BLACK MESA – MILITARY COMMAND CENTER

Several military personnel crowd around a monitor showing footage from Fletcher's helmet-mounted camera, of Gordon Freeman pinning him down and training a gun on him. At first, glare on the visor prevents a good look at his face. The video technician freezes it, and then advances frame by frame. It pauses on a frame where the Hazard suit's nametag is visible. It is indistinct, but as the technician progresses frame-by-frame, we see it more clearly: "FREEMAN".

**VIDEO TECHNICIAN**

"Looks like this guy is called… Freeman."

A couple frames later, the outline of Gordon's glasses and goatee become distinct. He looks a bit crazed.

**OFFICER #1**

"Who is this guy?"

**OFFICER #2**

"I don't know, sir. He's not one of ours."

**OFFICER #1**

"Black Ops?"

**OFFICER #2**

"They don't have that sort of equipment. This looks like body armor of some sort, but nothing I've seen before."

**OFFICER #1**

"If he's not with us, and he's not Black Ops, then who the hell is he with?"

**OFFICER #2**

"Well, you can't get within five miles of Black Mesa without government security clearance. We'll start there."

Nearby, a radio starts crackling with static. Everyone glances over at it.

**CPL SHEPHERD**, radio

"… anybody hear me? This is Corporal Shepherd, do you read?"

Officer #1 heads over and snatches up the microphone.

**OFFICER #1**

"Shepherd! Where are you?"

**CPL SHEPHERD**, radio

"I'm just outside an infirmary in Sector D. Something took down the Osprey – Sgt. Sanders is dead. I don't know about anyone else."

**OFFICER #1**

"Things are Foxtrot Uniform over here. We're getting sniped at by an Unsub."

**CPL SHEPHERD**, radio

"What can you tell me about the Unsub?"

**OFFICER #1**

"He's wearing a suit of orange and black powered armor, and he has glasses and a goatee. His name appears to be Freeman - and he should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. Other than that, he's a complete black box. Catch him alive, if you can. We need to question him and find out who the hell he is and what he knows. Beyond that, your orders still stand."

**CPL SHEPHERD**, radio

"I'm on it. Where was this Freeman last seen?"

**OFFICER #1**

"He was spotted near your location, headed for the Blast Pit. There are a lot of hostiles in that area, so be careful."

**CPL SHEPHERD**, radio

"Can I expect backup there?"

**OFFICER #1**

"Unfortunately, no. We haven't been able to get a foothold there."

**CPL SHEPHERD**, radio

"All right. I'll head there now."

**OFFICER #1**

"Good. Semper fi."

**CPL SHEPHERD**, radio

"Semper fi, sir."

* * *

Author's note: I really need to start naming all these extras. I can only have so many versions of Dr. Not-Appearing-In-This-Movie before they start getting confusing.


End file.
